After All This Time REBOOT
by LuvPurple99
Summary: Team Possible has spent the last 11 years trying to cope with the loss of their only child. Krista Ruthie has grown up under the roof of the Moore Home for Children. She has learned to be invisible. Because at the Moore Home for Children, being invisible is your best chance. Complete Reboot of the original story. K/R. Takes place after Graduation.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This will be a complete reboot of my original story, _After All This Time_. I did a rewrite a long time ago, but looking back, I know I could improve on it. I've grown a lot as a writer in the past years, and I want to try my hand at writing something a bit darker and edgier. This story will have some plot elements similar to the original, but much of the plot will be changed. In essence, it will be a new story. I plan on rebooting the sequel _Revenge_ at some point as well. This story will be much darker than the original. I also plan on including songs that I feel go with the tone of specific scenes or chapters. There will be an asterisk (*) to mark where the song should start if one appears in the chapter. I hope you enjoy the story. Please leave a review if you feel like it.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kim Possible_. It belongs to Disney and its creators. If it was in the show, I don't own it. Any songs mentioned are the property of their respective owners and artists. I am not doing this for compensation, simply for enjoyment and practice.

**Claimer: **Krista Ruthie Stoppable is my OC. If you want to use her, please ask.

**SONG: **"My Eyes" by The Lumineers

**After All This Time**

**Chapter 1**

**7:52pm, December 11, Middleton, Colorado**

"It's a girl!"

A squalling cry rang out at the nurse's pronouncement. Kim Possible-Stoppable breathed heavily, exhausted from the arduous labor. Ron Stoppable had his arm around his wife's shoulder, the other clutching her hand. The nurse gently passed a little pink bundle to the crime fighter, tears of joy pouring down Kim's face as she took her first peek at her baby girl. Ron leaned in close to his girls as Kim rocked their child.

"Hi, little one," Kim said softly, tears choking her voice. "I'm your mom."

"And I'm your dad," Ron added.

"Do we have a name yet?" the doctor asked.

Kim turned to smile at her husband. Ron returned the smile and nodded. She looked back at the sleeping infant.

"Krista Ruthie Stoppable."

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**6:12pm, December 12, Middleton, Colorado**

"Kimmie, she's beautiful." Dr. Anne Possible held her first grandchild. "You did great today, honey."

"Thanks, Mom," Kim replied. She fell back on her pillows. "You know, you always hear about it, but nothing prepares you for how tough childbirth is."

Anne laughed. "Don't I know it. But it's worth it."

There was a soft knock at the door, and their attending physician, Dr. Whitman, entered. "How is the Stoppable family doing this evening?"

"Great," Kim replied as she propped herself back up.

"Just here for a quick check-up again, since this little one was a tad early. Eager to take on the world, eh?" Dr. Whitman joked. Anne delicately placed Krista back in the hospital bassinet. Dr. Whitman listened to the baby's heart and lungs, his face scrunched in concentration.

"I hear a little congestion in the lungs, but nothing too serious. That can happen with preemies. We'll just keep an eye on it." Dr. Whitman jot down a few more notes on his clipboard. "I'll leave you to your evening. I'll come check on this little lady in a few hours."

Dr. Whitman left the Possible-Stoppable family, closing the door behind him. He paused outside the door to ensure he had the information he needed, checked his watch, then turned and walked down the hallway.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**2:53am, December 13, Middleton, Colorado**

The door to the hospital room opened slowly. Mission training had made Kim a light sleeper, and she awoke as the nurse approached her bedside.

"Sorry to wake you, Mrs. Stoppable," the nurse said.

Kim sat up and stretched. "No big. How's Krista? Has the congestion cleared?"

The nurse stood wringing her hands, having difficultly making eye contact with the teen hero. "That's actually why the doctor sent me in here. We have some… news."

Kim felt dread bloom in the pit of her stomach. She reached out a hand to shake Ron awake, not taking her eyes off the nurse. "What's wrong? Is she sick?"

"What's going on?" Ron asked, alert at the tone of his wife's voice.

(*)

"I- I'm so sorry, but- Krista went into respiratory distress. Her lungs had collapsed. We tried our best, but… there was nothing we could do."

Time stood frozen as Kim tried to process the words. _Distress. Nothing we could do._ The nurse continued speaking, but her words sounded garbled, as if Kim were hearing them from underwater.

"Sh-she's dead?" Kim finally whispered.

The nurse bowed her head, her shoulders slumped in defeat, tears running down her face. "I'm so sorry."

Kim stared at the far wall, her hands lax in her lap. "N-no. That's not possible. She was doing better—Dr. Whitman said so just a few hours ago." Kim's body began to tremble. Ron put his hand on his wife's shoulder, tears streaming down his own cheeks.

"Kim?"

Kim shook her head vehemently. "NO! No, she's not gone! She's not!"

Ron pulled Kim into an embrace. "She is, Kim. Our girl is gone."

Sobs erupted from the young crime fighter as she clung to her husband, her soulmate, the father to her child.

"I want to see her. I want to see my baby. Let me see my baby!" Kim demanded, beginning to climb out of the hospital bed. She almost tripped, and Ron had to support her as she walked. The nurse nodded solemnly and led them to a quiet, dimly lit room. Dr. Whitman and two other nurses were silently cleaning up the instruments that had failed to save their daughter's life. No one made eye contact with the couple as they slowly approached the operating table. At the sight of their child, pale and unmoving, Kim cried out and collapsed. She reached out and took her daughter's small, lifeless hand, wincing at how cold it felt. Grief exploded from her heart, and her body wracked with sobs.

It seemed like hours later when Kim felt someone gently trying to pull her away. She looked up to see her husband, eyes puffy and red, looking sadly at her.

"Kim, it's time to leave."

Kim looked back to her baby, her little girl, and weakly shook her head. "I don't want to let her go. I can't."

Ron held back a sob of his own. "We have to, Kim. I'm sorry."

Kim reached out a shaky hand and smoothed back her daughter's blonde hair. She leaned in and gently kissed her forehead.

"I love you, baby girl. I will always love you. _We_ will always love you." Ron helped her to stand, and with one final glance at the child they barely got a chance to know, Kim let him lead her away.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews on my last chapter. Hope you enjoy this one. Don't get used to daily updates – I will be getting busier in the next few weeks, but will do my best to update as regularly as I can.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kim Possible_. It belongs to Disney and its creators. If it was in the show, I don't own it. Any songs mentioned are the property of their respective owners and artists. I am not doing this for compensation, simply for enjoyment and practice.

**Claimer: **Krista Ruthie Stoppable is my OC. If you want to use her, please ask.

**SONGS (*): **"Gavi's Song" by Lindsey Stirling

**After All This Time**

**Chapter 2**

**7:36am, December 13, Middleton, Colorado**

Kim and Ron closed the front door behind them. They stood in the silent hallway for few moments, unsure what to do next. Ron set down the duffel bag he was carrying and hung up their coats. When he turned back to Kim, she was staring at the floor.

"Kim?"

Kim shook herself out of her trance and looked up at her husband.

"I'm gonna make us some coffee. We both could use it."

Kim nodded and watched as Ron made his way to the kitchen. His heart was heavy as he scooped coffee grounds into the machine. _This is not how it was supposed to be._ They should be needing coffee after a night of feeding and soothing their newborn, not one filled with grief and pain. Ron sighed as he filled two mugs with the steaming brew and returned to the living room. Kim was nowhere in sight.

"Kim?" he called. "KP, where are you?" Ron set the mugs down on the coffee table and wandered the hall in search of his wife. After checking the first floor, he made his way up the stairs, a cold feeling sending him towards the last door on the right.

(*)

"Kim?" Ron slowly pushed open the door. Kim stood, arms wrapped around herself, in the middle of a softly lit room. Plush carpeting padded their feet. A rocking chair sat motionless in the corner. Little frames and figurines of animals stood atop a small dresser. The quote "You can do anything" adorned one of the walls. But Kim was not looking at any of these things. She was staring – silently, solemnly – at the wooden crib which sat beneath the room's only window. A Pandaroo sat poised atop a neatly folded light pink blanket.

Ron's lower lip trembled as he went to put an arm around his wife. Kim didn't take her tear-filled eyes off the crib.

"This was supposed to be hers."

"I know."

Silence.

"I wanted to give her the world. I wanted to teach her how to walk, how to talk. I wanted… I wanted so much for her. Not this. Never this."

Silence. Kim turned to her husband, searching his face.

"How is this fair, Ron? We've done so much good, helped so many people. What did we do to deserve this?" Kim choked on the last words as she collapsed into her husband's arms in gut-wrenching sobs. Ron stroked her hair, himself staring at the forever-unoccupied crib.

"I don't know, Kim. I just don't know." The two leaned into each other, sharing in their grief. Their hearts seemed to bleed as they stood in this small, soft room – a nursery that would never be home to the one it was meant for. This room that was supposed to see so much laughter and joy now saw only tears heartbreak.

"I miss our daughter," Kim whispered.

"I miss Krista, too."

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**4:17am, December 13, Cheyenne, Wyoming**

Rain poured down the secluded street as a van approached a run-down brick building. The vehicle pulled up to a door in the back alley. As the driver went around to the side of the van, the door to the building opened. Two figures emerged – a man and a woman – and approached the driver, an umbrella raised above their heads.

"Well?" the man asked impatiently.

"Everything went exactly as planned," the driver responded.

"They believed it? We're in the clear?"

"Yes, sir. They're devastated. I'd say they'll be out of hero work for a good while as they grieve."

"Excellent. And the other staff?"

"Unaware, except for Millie. But she's on our side, so she won't be telling anybody. She's the one who called the Code, and I did all the 'lifesaving' work. They don't suspect a thing."

"And the cadaver?"

"Destroyed. The designer was paid off well. He'll keep his mouth shut."

"Very good, Steven." The man pulled a wad of bills out of his jacket pocket and handed them to the driver. "For your troubles."

The driver quickly counted the bills, then turned to open the van's back door. He produced an infant's car seat, which he handed to the woman. The woman shifted a blanket so she could see the newborn sleeping inside. Her eyes sparkled and a smile touched her lips as she looked back to the driver.

"So what will you be doing now? You've worked there for 8 months."

The driver shrugged. "Don't know. But I'm not going back there. Too 'ashamed at being unable to save Team Possible's daughter,' as they'll say."

"Stay in contact. You may be needed again," the man replied.

"Of course, sir. Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. and Mrs. Moore." Dr. Whitman returned to his vehicle and started the ignition, peeling away down the narrow street. Thomas and Andrea Moore went back to their building. As Thomas shook out the umbrella, Andrea lifted the infant from her car seat.

"Krista Ruthie, welcome to the Moore Home for Children."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kim Possible_. It belongs to Disney and its creators. If it was in the show, I don't own it. Any songs mentioned are the property of their respective owners and artists. I am not doing this for compensation, simply for enjoyment and practice.

**Claimer: **Krista Ruthie Stoppable is my OC. If you want to use her, please ask.

**After All This Time**

**Chapter 3**

**2 Years Later**

**Cheyenne, Wyoming**

Giggles erupted from 2-year-old Krista Ruthie as she chased a butterfly around the small, fenced-in yard of the Moore Home for Children. The other kids were sitting quietly near the edge of the fence, watching her warily. Two children were silently rolling a dingy rubber ball back and forth between them. One of the older girls was picking at the grass. The oldest boy, Trey, was staring through the fence at the buildings beyond.

Krista caught up to the butterfly as it perched delicately on the petals of a flower. She gently reached out, and the butterfly climbed onto her chubby finger. Krista squealed with happiness, making the children by the fence wince.

"KRISTA!" Thomas Moore bellowed as pushed open the back door. "If I have to tell you one more time to keep it down, there will be no dinner!"

Krista's lower lip trembled as she lowered her arms. The butterfly flew away. "I sorry. I be good."

The door slammed shut, and the other kids stared as silent tears rolled down the toddler's face.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Middleton, Colorado**

"I call the racecar!" Kim declared as her father began to set up the Scattegories game board.

"Aw, Kim, why do you always get the racecar?" whined Tim.

"Yeah, no fair!" Jim chimed in.

"Boys, no fighting on Possible Family Game Night!" Anne chided as she brought a tray of snacks and sodas into the living room.

The Possibles (and Ron) gathered around the coffee table. A pleasant hour passed while the family played the trivia game. James picked up a card.

"Ok, Kimmie Cub, next question. True or false? The first three years of a child's life is the most important period of development…" He trailed off, frowning. Everyone glanced warily at Kim. She stared at her hands.

"True," she whispered.

An uncomfortable silence hung over the living room. Ron put his arm around Kim's shoulder.

"Kimmie, why haven't you tried again?" Anne asked gently.

Kim looked up at her mother, pain in her eyes. "I… I can't. I can't go through that again."

"Kim, you know the chances of the same thing happening are very low," her father said.

"I know, but…" She sighed. "I couldn't watch another child grow up when Krista never got that chance. I would think every day 'You never got to meet your sister. Krista never got to do this.' I couldn't handle that."

The room was quiet once more. The Tweebs fidgeted uncomfortably.

Kim abruptly rose from the floor. "I don't feel like playing anymore." Her family watched sorrowfully as she left the room.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Cheyenne, Wyoming**

"Damn it!" Andrea shouted. "You have got to be kidding me! How did they find out?!"

"Someone tipped them off," Thomas sneered. "It doesn't matter how they found out. The point is, they ruined one of the biggest deals we've ever had."

Andrea rubbed her temples. "I am getting so sick of Team Possible meddling in our business."

"They don't _know_ it's our business yet."

"Exactly. _Yet_. What if they find out? What if they find out about _her_?"

Thomas's eyes flashed. "I'm not going to let that happen. It can't."

"But it could! It could only be a matter of time before we're ruined!" Andrea slammed the door as she left Thomas's office, unaware that Krista was just rounding the corner. Krista watched her cry out in frustration as she stomped into the kitchen.

The toddler got an idea. Krista went to the small garden in the yard and selected the prettiest flower she could find. She hid it behind her back as she made her way to the kitchen, where she found Andrea sitting at the table with her head in her hands, a flask open in front of her. Krista tugged on her shirt.

Andrea looked down, irritated. "_What_, Krista? I'm busy."

Krista grinned as she held the flower out to the matron of the Home. Andrea stared at the flower for a moment, a range of emotions passing through her head. But her anger at Team Possible had not subsided, and the sudden presence of their daughter increased her annoyance.

"Krista, where did you get that? Did you steal that from my garden?"

Krista tilted her head. "I picked for you. So you feel better."

"And what made you think destroying my garden would make me feel better?"

Krista's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "But… I help…"

"That is _not_ helping." Andrea snatched the flower from the toddler's hands, grabbing the girl by her chin. "Don't you _ever _touch my garden again, do you understand? It is not yours. _Nothing_ here is yours." Andrea shoved Krista away as she let go of her face and strode out of the room. Krista was left staring after her with tears in her big green eyes, wondering what she did wrong.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**3 Years Later**

**Cheyenne, Wyoming**

A tear rolled down Krista's cheek as she stared out the rain-streaked window. Below, her best friend Chelsea was getting into a car with her new family. The two had been inseparable for the last two years, and now Chelsea was leaving. She was getting a family. Chelsea had been the only one with whom Krista had been able escape the walls she had built around herself. She was the only one who could make her laugh like she used to when she was younger. What would she do now that Chelsea was gone? Who would bring happiness to this gloomy place now?

The 5-year-old felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Valerie, one of the older girls, looking out the window with her.

"Don't worry, Little K. Our chance will come," Valerie said.

Krista couldn't help but wonder. _Would it?_

Another car pulled up as Chelsea's car drove away. A slim blonde woman exited, walking up to the door. The two children heard the bell ring, and then a squeal as Andrea opened it to reveal their guest.

"LYNN! What are you doing here?!" Andrea exclaimed.

Adrena Lynn entered the front hall, wiping her shoes on the mat. "Got out of prison. Thought I would come visit my favorite sister."

Andrea smiled, a rare sight around the Home. "I'm your only sister, Lynn. But I am so happy to see you! Thomas! Look who's here!" Andrea led her sister to Thomas's office, closing the door behind them so Krista and Valerie could no longer hear the conversation.

"So, you're running an orphanage, huh?" Adrena Lynn commented, taking a seat in one of the plush chairs.

Andrea gave her a strained smile. "Yes."

Adrena furrowed her eyebrows. "You ok?"

"Of course!" Andrea's voice was high pitched, too chipper. "But let's talk about you. I want to know how you've been. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Adrena replied, leaning back in her chair.

"That's it? That's all you're going to give me?"

"What else is there to say?" Adrena shrugged. "I went to prison. I did my time. I'm out. The end."

"But aren't you angry?" Andrea pushed.

"About what?"

"Kim Possible! For putting you in that hellhole!"

"I mean, I was at first. She exposed me as a fraud. But I've had some time away from it all, and maybe it was a good thing. I _was_ a fraud. I was encouraging kids to do dangerous things. Maybe I deserved to get caught."

"NO!" Andrea stood abruptly, causing her sister to jump back. "You were _not_ a fraud! You were talented! She took away your career, your fame! How can you just let that go?"

"Andrea, relax. Yeah, I had some skill, but most of what I did was fake. Just let it go, ok? What's the big deal?"

"The 'big deal' is that she ruined your life. You were on the brink of taking the world by storm. You would have had so much influence, so much power. Don't you want that?"

Adrena stared at her sister. "I mean, yeah, I want to be an influence. But there are other ways to go about it, Andrea."

"So that's it? You're done? You're not even going to _try_ to get back on top and get revenge?"

"This is not what I came here to talk about. I wanted to see my sister that I haven't seen in 7 years. I wanted to see what you've been up to and catch up. Can we just let this go for now, please?"

Andrea sighed. "Fine. But we're not through with this conversation. Come, I'll give you a tour."

Andrea and Thomas led Adrena Lynn through the orphanage. The more she saw, the more concerned she grew. On the surface, it seemed like a regular orphanage. The children were brooding and gloomy, but that was common, right? Still, something felt very, very wrong. And then there was the way Andrea responded when asked if they ran an orphanage. Adrena left with the promise to return soon. She drove a few blocks down the street, pulled into an alley, and took out her cell phone. She dialed, then waited as the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Is this Kim Possible?" Adrena asked.

"Actually, it's Kim Stoppable now, but yes. Who's this?"

Adrena hesitated. "It's Adrena Lynn."

"Adrena Lynn?!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know it's freaky, but listen, I need to ask you something."

"What?" Kim asked suspiciously.

"I just visited my sister in Wyoming. Her and her husband say they run an orphanage here."

"What do you mean they 'say' they run an orphanage?"

"That's just it. When I commented on it, she acted very strange. Andrea is a horrible liar when it comes to me – she never could do it when we were kids. And when I was walking the building, I just got a bad feeling."

"Orphanages are usually pretty sad places…"

"It went beyond that. I just feel like something is very wrong there."

"So why tell me about it?"

"Look, I know you probably think of me as a criminal, but I've changed. I don't want that life anymore."

The line was quiet for a moment before Kim answered again. "I'll have Wade look into it, but maybe it would be best to have someone on the inside. Wade's a genius, but if your sister and her husband are good at covering their tracks, it might be tough to find something."

"So what do you suggest?"

"She's your sister. It wouldn't be suspicious if you visited her every now and then, would it?"

"I don't think so. We made plans to meet again. We were close as kids, and she was a big supporter of my stunt career. I don't think she'd be suspicious of me coming around."

"Then that's what we'll do. We'll do some research on our end, and you'll gather intel from the inside. Hopefully, you're wrong."

"Yeah, I hope so, too. Thanks Kim." Adrena made plans to contact Kim in a few weeks, then hung up.

_I really, really, hope I'm wrong. _

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Cheyenne, Wyoming**

Andrea sighed as she shut the door behind Adrena Lynn. How could her sister not be angry?

As she made her way to her husband's office, Andrea thought back to her childhood. She had been sickly, and was often teased in school. Adrena was her older sister – popular, athletic, healthy, everything Andrea wasn't. She envied her, yet she adored her. Her sister was her idol. Her sister was the one who comforted Andrea after a rough day at school, who shielded her from the bullies' horrible words and actions. In a way, Andrea lived vicariously through Adrena, savoring the praise she received through her gymnastics and her stunt work on TV. She was obsessed. When Adrena thrived, Andrea thrived. So when Kim Possible exposed her, and the world shunned her sister, her idol, humiliating her and ripping away everything she had worked for, Andrea snapped. Her sister, the one who had protected her from humiliation, was now the one humiliated. Andrea felt every insult, every critical remark as a personal attack. She had vowed to avenge her sister if it was the last thing she did. She dreamed of the day Adrena would get out of prison and join her in exacting their vengeance, their justice.

So when Adrena showed up that day, asking her to put it behind her, Andrea was devastated. The moment she had waited for had been shattered. She could not understand why her sister did not want to retaliate for everything Kim Possible had taken from her, from both of them.

_Well, Lynn, if you won't do it, I'll do it for the both of us. It's time to return the favor. For once, I'll be the one defending you._

**A/N: A huge thanks to StormChaser90 for workshopping some ideas with me and giving me the idea to have Adrena Lynn go undercover. Check out his stories – they're great. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kim Possible_. It belongs to Disney and its creators. If it was in the show, I don't own it. Any songs mentioned are the property of their respective owners and artists. I am not doing this for compensation, simply for enjoyment and practice.

**Claimer: **Krista Ruthie Stoppable is my OC. If you want to use her, please ask.

**After All This Time**

**Chapter 4**

**1 Week Later**

**Middleton, Colorado**

Adrena Lynn entered the coffee shop. Looking around, she spotted a familiar red-head at a table near the back. Adrena approached the crime fighter, Kim looking up as she got close.

"Hey," Kim greeted, still wary of Adrena Lynn's intentions.

"Hi, Kim." Adrena took a seat, and an awkward silence hung between the two for a moment.

"Thanks for meeting me," Adrena said.

"No big," Kim replied. "But one thing has been bugging me since you called – how did you get my number?"

"I reached out to my old agent when I got out of prison to see if he could get it. He had some connections he used to help me out. I was actually going to call you to thank you. Turns out prison was the best thing to happen to me. I didn't realize how much harm I was causing with faking all of those stunts."

"Yeah, my brothers actually broke some bones from trying to imitate you."

"Sorry about that." Adrena looked down sheepishly.

"So not the drama. They bounced back. But I'm glad you've changed."

Another silence encompassed the table before Adrena spoke again. "Listen, Kim, I heard about what happened to… your baby. I'm so sorry."

Kim toyed with the mug in front of her. "Thanks. It's been rough."

"I imagine." Adrena took a deep breath. "Anyway, I wanted to meet to give you a bit more info on my sister."

"Shoot."

"When we were kids, she was sick a lot. She had lung issues and a bone deficiency. Our mom wouldn't let her do much. She got bullied for most of her school years. I was really her only friend."

"That's really sad."

"Yeah, but since I visited her last week, I've been thinking. Andrea used to worship the ground I walked on. I always thought it was the typical little sister adoration, but now looking back, it seems more like it was an… obsession."

Kim cocked an eyebrow. "How do you mean?"

"She used to pretend to _be_ me. There was a period of time when she was ten that she would _only_ answer to my name. It got so ridiculous my mom threatened to take her to therapy before she cut it out. She used to try to copy my gymnastics stunts, which was really dangerous because of all her health issues. It got to the point where my mom wouldn't let her come to my meets because she was worried Andrea would see something she wanted to try."

"That's pretty severe behavior. Definitely not the normal little sister admiration."

"I know. And when I went to visit her last week, she was so bent out of shape that I didn't want to try to 'get back on top' and 'seek revenge.' It left me with a bad feeling."

"Well I had Wade do some checking, and we haven't found anything on them yet. They have the proper paperwork to be an orphanage. Her husband runs a software agency that checks out. So I'm thinking our best bet of finding something is going to be your undercover work."

"I'll do my best, but it's going to be tricky. It could take years."

"Well, we're ready for the long haul if you are." The two women finished their coffee. As they walked out of the café, Adrena Lynn turned to Kim.

"Kim, I really do have to thank you for everything."

Kim waved a hand, dismissing the praise. "Really, it's no big. It's what I do. I just hope we can figure out whatever is going on with your sister."

"Me, too." Adrena and Kim said their goodbyes, with plans to meet again in a month. With a newfound determination, Adrena made her way back to Wyoming and towards whatever her sister had planned.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**2 Years Later**

**Cheyenne, Wyoming**

7-year-old Krista buzzed with nerves as she sat in the waiting room of the doctor's office. She _hated_ doctors. But Mr. and Mrs. Moore had made her come because she had been wheezing a lot lately. Krista picked at the skin on her thumb as she waited for her name to be called. Mrs. Moore roughly grabbed her hand.

"Stop that," she hissed.

"Sorry," Krista mumbled.

A door to the side opened. "Krista?"

Mr. and Mrs. Moore rose, giving a slight push for Krista to walk in front of them. Krista stared at the floor as she followed the nurse down the hallway and into an exam room. She wrinkled her nose. It smelled weird – like alcohol and antiseptic.

"The doctor will be just a moment," the nurse said as she closed the door. No one spoke. Thomas was reading something on his phone, and Andrea was leafing through a magazine from the waiting room.

Finally, the door opened again. A tall man with salt-and-pepper hair and a wiry beard to match entered. He shook the Moores' hands, then turned to Krista.

"Hello, Krista. I'm Dr. Whitman," he greeted.

"Hi," Krista replied quietly, looking at the floor.

"_Krista_. Look at him when he is talking to you," Thomas chastised. "I apologize for her behavior."

Dr. Whitman waved his hand. "No need. She's just nervous, I imagine. So what seems to be the issue today?"

"She's been wheezing a lot lately. Sometimes her coughing will keep us up half the night. It's quite inconveniencing for everyone," Andrea explained.

Dr. Whitman took Krista's blood pressure and listened to her lungs. "I do hear some wheezing. Could be asthma. But let's do some bloodwork and a few other tests just to be sure."

Krista glanced at the Moores, panicked. _Needles?_

Andrea rolled her eyes. "Oh, just suck it up. It won't be long."

Dr. Whitman led her to another small room. First, they had her do some breathing exercises. They had her exhale as hard as she could into this weird device. They took her body measurements. They wrote down a lot of notes. Then, they had her sit in a chair with one pillowed arm. A nurse entered with a few test tubes and a huge needle. Krista's eyes widened.

"Hello, Krista. My name's Millie. I'm going to be taking your blood. Just relax and it will be over before you know it," the nurse explained. Krista tried to focus on happy things as Millie prepped her arm for the blood draw, but she couldn't stop her heart from pounding so fast. As Millie approached her skin with the needle, Krista jerked her arm back.

"Wait! Wait. I'm sorry. I just…" Krista tried to slow her breathing, but it just became faster.

"Oh, for crying out loud, Krista! Just let the woman do her job! It's not that bad," Andrea complained. Krista still held her arm close to her body.

"Krista, I swear, if you keep this up…" Thomas warned. Krista gave a fearful glance towards her guardians, and shakily moved her arm back towards the nurse. She squeezed her eyes shut and counted her breaths. She whimpered as the needle dug into her skin.

Finally, it was over. Krista couldn't get out of that room fast enough. She was led back to the exam room to await the results. After another long, uncomfortable silence, Dr. Whitman entered again.

"Well, Krista does have asthma, but we also have another problem. Krista's lungs seem to be working extra hard. We still have to await the blood work, but I think we are looking at a chronic respiratory issue. We'll need to keep an eye on it."

"So what does that mean?" Thomas asked.

"It'll mean visits with a respiratory therapist. It could mean monthly bloodwork. We will need to keep an eye on her development, too, to make sure the respiratory disease isn't causing any other issues there."

"More needles?" Krista squeaked.

"Unfortunately, yes, dear," Dr. Whitman replied sympathetically. Krista slumped dejectedly.

Dr. Whitman wrote the Moores a prescription for a rescue inhaler. Thomas rose and shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you, Dr. Whitman." The Moores led Krista back down the hallway to the lobby.

"Honey, why don't you make the follow up appointment while I go ask Dr. Whitman another question." Andrea nodded as Thomas made his way back down the hall to the doctor's personal office. Once inside, he closed the door.

"Did you get everything I asked for?" he asked.

Dr. Whitman handed over a file and a vial of blood. "There you go. Millie will send the other off to my private lab for testing. She does have asthma, but no respiratory disease."

"Excellent. Thank you, Steven. We will be seeing you soon." Thomas pocketed the vial and tucked the file under his arm. He returned to the lobby and met with his wife and Krista.

Andrea gestured to the file under his arm. "What's that, dear?"

"Oh, just some information on Krista's condition. We'll go over it together at home." The Moores loaded Krista into their car and returned to the orphanage.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Cheyenne, Wyoming**

Andrea shut the door to Thomas's office. "So did you get it?"

"I got it. I'm faxing the information to our scientists as we speak. The blood sample will be on the way tomorrow," Thomas replied.

"And do you really think they will be able to develop it?"

"Honey, relax. I have the best minds at our disposal working on it. When it's complete, we'll sell it to the highest bidder. This could be our biggest deal yet."

"Let's just hope Team Possible doesn't go poking their noses in where they don't belong." Andrea began making her way towards to door, then turned back to her husband. "By the way, Lynn is coming over for dinner. She said she has a proposal for us."

"Sure, sure." Thomas waved her off, engrossed in a document on his desk.

Andrea left and began preparing for dinner. A few hours later, the doorbell rang. Andrea answered it and let her sister inside. "Glad you could come. We love having you here."

"I love being here," Adrena Lynn replied. The sisters made their way to the kitchen. Once the children had received their meager portions, Thomas entered and joined the two at the table.

"So, you said you had a proposal for us," Andrea began as she buttered a roll.

"Yeah." Adrena took a sip of wine. "I was thinking I could do a stunt class with the kids once a week. Thought it might cheer them up."

Andrea and Thomas shared a look. "I don't know, Lynn…"

"Come on! It won't be dangerous! I've been getting more training, too. I think it will be good for them, expend some energy."

Andrea drummed her fingers on the table, then looked at her husband. Thomas shrugged.

"Well… ok. But no fighting. We don't need to be encouraging violence among these already impressionable children. Only tricks," Andrea relented.

"Sure. Thanks, sis. I think this will be good for everyone. Especially the little blonde one… Krista, right? She's been looking really gloomy lately."

"Oh, Krista can't participate," Thomas said sharply.

"Why not?"

"She has a lung condition. She can't do anything too strenuous. Andrea has her taking one ballet class a week to do a gentle workout, but this would be too much for her."

"Oh." There was silence at the table for a moment.

"When would you be looking to do this?" Andrea asked.

"When works for you?"

Thomas and Andrea glanced at each other. "How about Thursday evenings? Thomas works late those nights, and it would be nice to have some help with the children."

"Works for me."

When dinner was over, Adrena Lynn left. As she drove down the street to her apartment, she couldn't help but think of Krista. _Poor kid. No wonder she seems so depressed. She has to miss out on a lot. _Maybe there was another way she could cheer her up. She just wasn't sure what that was.

**A/N: Thanks again to StormChaser90 for advice, ideas, and workshopping. Leave a review if you feel like it.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kim Possible_. It belongs to Disney and its creators. If it was in the show, I don't own it. Any songs mentioned are the property of their respective owners and artists. I am not doing this for compensation, simply for enjoyment and practice.

**Claimer: **Krista Ruthie Stoppable is my OC. If you want to use her, please ask.

**After All This Time**

**Chapter 5**

**1 Year Later**

**Cheyenne, Wyoming**

"Ellie, you need to start with your weight on your back leg. Like this." Adrena Lynn demonstrated the simple cartwheel one more time. "Try it again." Ellie, one of the older girls, attempted the trick again. This time, the movement resembled the cartwheel Adrena had just performed.

"There you go!" Adrena praised.

Off to the side, an 8-year-old Krista sat dejectedly, staring enviously at the fun the other children were having. No matter how many times she asked and begged, she wasn't allowed to participate. She could only sit on the sidelines and stretch. The last time she asked, Mrs. Moore threatened to take away her dance lessons. She had made a promise to herself never to ask again. She couldn't risk her only release being taken away.

The oldest boy in the Home, Ethan, came and sat next to her. "How's it going, Little K?"

Krista stared down at the grass and shrugged. The two children sat in silence for a few moments before the thirteen-year-old spoke up again. "Not so fun just sitting here, huh?" Krista shook her head. "Well, hey, me and a few of the others are gonna play a card game after dinner. Wanna join?" Krista looked up hopefully and nodded.

"Cool," Ethan smiled encouragingly. "We're gonna meet in Hazel and Nora's room. See you there." Ethan walked away and rejoined the other kids just as Adrena Lynn was finishing the class.

"Nice work today, guys! See you next week." The group of children began to disperse, some staying in the yard to practice, others heading inside to await dinner. Adrena noticed Krista sitting on the fringe of the yard and made her way over.

"Hey there, Krista."

Krista looked up and gave a small smile. "Hi Miss Lynn."

Adrena sat next to her. "How is dance going?"

Krista shrugged. "Okay. I wish I could take more classes."

Adrena gave her a sympathetic look. "I know. Sorry you can't join us for ours. But I have to respect my sister's wishes. We don't want you getting hurt. Still, I hate seeing you on the sidelines."

Krista gave another half-hearted shrug as if to say, _Eh. What are you gonna do?_

A beat of silence passed between the two. "Anyway, you better get inside and get washed up. You don't want to be late for dinner."

"Are you gonna eat with us?" Krista asked hopefully. Even if she couldn't take the stunt class, she loved having Miss Lynn around.

Adrena shook her head sadly. "Sorry, sweetie. I have a meeting with my agent to talk about a new show. But maybe next week, ok?"

The two stood up, and Krista hesitated a moment before wrapping her small arms around the older woman's waist. Adrena Lynn gladly returned the hug as she gently brushed a strand of hair from Krista's eyes. She sighed as she watched the despondent 8-year-old make her way back to the building. Three years of undercover work had turned up nothing but dead ends. Maybe it really was just a regular, gloomy orphanage, but she still felt as if something was very wrong, and that the worst was still to come. As the backdoor closed, Adrena made her way to her car.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

After dinner that night, Krista made her way to Hazel and Nora's room. She knocked, and Ethan opened the door.

"Hey! Glad you came!" Ethan let Krista pass through before closing the door again. A group of kids was huddled on the floor around a magazine.

"What are you looking at?" Krista asked timidly.

Nolan, one of the boys, waved her over. "Ethan snuck this home from school today." Krista peeked over his shoulder at the magazine. There was a picture of a blonde man and an auburn-haired woman standing in front of what looked like a warehouse. They were leading two people in lab coats out in handcuffs.

"Team Possible wins again!" Nora cheered. The other kids whipped their heads to look at her and sharply shushed her.

"Who?" Krista asked.

"You've never heard of Team Possible?!" Hazel asked, shocked. Krista shook her head. How would she have? They didn't have a TV, and they weren't allowed to read newspapers.

"They're only like, the most famous crime fighters ever!" Nolan explained excitedly.

"Yeah. They just busted some people making weapons and selling them on the black market," Ethan added. "_Totally_ awesome." Krista stared at the picture as the other kids started reading the accompanying article out loud. The group was so engrossed in the story, no one heard the door begin to open before it was too late.

"I've told you kids over and over. Doors open!" Thomas bellowed, entering the room. Nolan and Hazel scrambled to hide the magazine, to no avail. Thomas strode over, snatching the contraband out of Nolan's hand.

"What is this?" he asked, skimming over the contents. A vein in his forehead began to throb, and his face became a dark shade of red. "Whose idea was this?"

No one moved.

"I asked you a question." Thomas's voice was dangerously low as he spoke. He scanned the guilty faces in front of him before approaching Nolan. Thomas' arm cocked back, preparing for a blow, when Ethan jumped in front of him with his hands out.

"Wait! Wait! It was me! I snuck it in!" Thomas lowered his hand and stared Ethan down.

"And what made you think that was a good idea?"

A wave of bravery washed over Ethan as he stood taller and looked Mr. Moore in the eye. "I thought it would cheer everyone up. We're never allowed to do anything fun."

Thomas stared at Ethan, his jaw clenched. Without taking his eyes off the boy, he gave one sharp command. "Out."

Again, no one moved. The others glanced at each other, unsure about their decision. Do they leave or do they stay and defend Ethan?

Thomas turned his wild eyes on the huddle of children. "I said, _OUT_!" The rage in his voice sent the children into a frenzy, scrambling to get out of the room. Krista was the last to leave, and the door was slammed behind her.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Later that evening, Krista was making her way back from the bathroom when she heard sniffling from one of the boys' rooms. Peeking inside the dark room, Krista made out the form of Ethan, huddled in the corner. Tentatively, she approached him. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, Krista could see that portions of his skin were darker than the rest.

"Are you ok?" Krista whispered.

Ethan jumped and looked up at her with one darkened eye. When he saw it was just Krista, he put his head in his arms again.

"No." Krista stood in silence as Ethan's sniffles subsided.

"Something's going on here, Little K. Something bad."

"What do you mean?" Krista asked, sitting down next to the older boy.

"Mr. Moore? He wasn't just mad about the magazine. He was mad about what was _in_ it. Like he took it personally."

"But why?"

"I don't know. That's what I want to find out. I'm gonna sneak into his office tonight and see what I can find."

Krista stood up. "I'm coming with you."

Ethan rose, too. "No way, Little K. I'm not risking you getting hurt."

Krista stared at him, determined. "You can't go alone. You need help."

"The answer is no."

Krista huffed. "I'm gonna come anyway. Might as well let me so we can work together."

Ethan sighed, defeated. "Fine. But any sign of danger, and you go running. Don't worry about me." He told Krista the time and place to meet him, and then there was nothing else to do but wait.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Krista tip-toed through the dark hallway, wincing at the slightest creak of the wood floor. Carefully, she made her way down the stairs and towards the common room. As she got closer, she could make out Ethan standing in the shadows. When he saw her, he met her halfway.

"Follow me," he whispered. They made their way towards Thomas's office in the back of the building. Ethan jiggled the handle to find that the door was locked. He knelt down and produced a bobby pin. As he set to work, Krista gave him a questioning look.

"Aiden taught me how to do this before he left," Ethan explained. Krista heard a click, and the door opened. Ethan produced a flashlight as Krista quietly closed the door. He began checking the drawers of the desk, seemingly searching for something specific.

"Damn." Ethan sat back on his haunches. "Nothing." Krista sat on the floor next to him. Something caught her eye beneath the desk. Reaching up, she found a piece of paper. She motioned for Ethan to shine his flashlight on it.

"This is the article from the magazine!" Ethan exclaimed.

"But why did he circle some words in red?" Krista asked. She couldn't read well, but the circles looked like they were drawn in anger.

Suddenly, the door swung open and crashed against the wall. The two children jumped as the light turned on, revealing the furious patriarch of the Home.

"What are you doing in my office?!" Thomas yelled. He reached out to the table on his right, picked up a picture frame, and hurled it at the terror-stricken orphans. Krista covered her head as Ethan scrambled out of the way. Thomas's hands curled around a candlestick, which he sent sailing towards the thirteen-year-old.

"I _thought _you had learned your lesson!" Krista tried to hide under the desk, letting the magazine page flutter to the floor. Before she could fully conceal herself, Mr. Moore's hand wrapped tightly around her upper arm and dragged her out. He pulled her, stumbling, towards the door.

"I'll deal with you later," he warned menacingly through clenched teeth, before tossing her out in the hallway and slamming the door behind her. She heard heavy footsteps pound across the floor, followed by a loud crash and muted thumps.

It was Ethan's pained cry and scream for mercy that sent her reeling from the hall.

She didn't sleep that night. Terror and worry kept her awake, folded in on herself in a corner of her room, gripping her dingy teddy bear as night bled into dawn.

The next day, Ethan was adopted.

**A/N: This was a tough chapter to write. But as I said in the beginning, I am trying to push myself as an author and testing my ability at writing something darker. Thanks again to StormChaser90 for his continual assistance, especially for lending me ideas to expand the interaction between Adrena Lynn and Krista at the beginning of the chapter. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kim Possible_. It belongs to Disney and its creators. If it was in the show, I don't own it. Any songs mentioned are the property of their respective owners and artists. I am not doing this for compensation, simply for enjoyment and practice.

**Claimer: **Krista Ruthie Stoppable is my OC. If you want to use her, please ask.

**After All This Time**

**Chapter 6**

**1 Year Later**

**Secret Research Facility, Outside Cheyenne, Wyoming**

It was late when Thomas Moore scanned his ID to enter the lab. The interior was brightly lit. Rows of expensive equipment were being monitored by trusted scientists and technicians – the best that Thomas could hire. The focus of the room was a large, cylindrical chamber, which was connected to various life-support machines. Several tubes were hanging down inside, a small puddle of dark blue fluid at the bottom.

"Henderson, what was so important to wake me up for?" he asked irritably.

The scientist named Henderson set down the clipboard he was studying and turned to his boss. "Sorry, sir. We have a project update for you. Unfortunately, Prototype E has failed."

"Damn it," Thomas muttered. "I had high hopes for this one. What went wrong?"

"The subject suffered multiple seizures, which placed a great deal of strain on the body. We were unable to stabilize its condition. When we performed the autopsy, we discovered some abnormalities in the central nervous system. In order to prevent the same problem in the next subject, we need further information."

Thomas sighed. "Very well. Have Lee fax over what's needed and I'll get it done."

"Yes, sir." Henderson made his way towards a small office in the back of the lab. Thomas headed back towards the parking lot. As he walked, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" came the groggy answer.

"Steven, we need an appointment tomorrow."

"Sure thing. What for?" Dr. Whitman replied.

"I'll have more information for you in the morning, but it will likely be for several tests, so block out a few hours."

"You got it, boss." Dr. Whitman hung up the phone as Thomas got in his car. _Here's hoping Prototype F is the one._

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Cheyenne, Wyoming**

Krista's stomach gurgled and flipped as the Moores drove her to the doctor's office. "Why do I have to go back?"

"The doctor wanted to do more tests to check on your lung condition," Mrs. Moore replied shortly.

"But I just had some done a couple months ago!"

"Krista, stop whining. This is for your health," Mr. Moore said. Krista slumped back in her seat and rode the rest of the way in nervous silence.

When they arrived at the office to check in, Krista was immediately led back to a procedure room and instructed to change into a gown. Dr. Whitman's usual nurse, Millie, entered when she had finished changing.

"Hello, Krista. We're going to be doing a few tests today. One is called a CT scan. This helps us get a better picture of the inside of your body to make sure everything is ok. The other is called a lumbar puncture, or spinal tap. We'll be collecting a little bit of fluid to make sure your brain and nervous system are in good condition," Millie explained.

Krista's head whirled with all the information, but she didn't have time to question it. Millie led her down the hall to the radiology lab. Inside was a big machine shaped like a tube. Dr. Whitman was already there.

"Hey there, little lady. We're just going to get a scan of the inside of your body real quick. Can you come lie on this bed?" Dr. Whitman gestured to a long, pillowed plank that stuck out of the tube. Tentatively, Krista pulled herself up. As she lay down, Dr. Whitman began to explain the procedure.

"It'll only take a few minutes. You'll need to be very still. You might hear some loud buzzing from the machine, but it's nothing to worry about."

"Will it hurt?" Krista asked nervously.

"No, m'am. It's painless," Dr. Whitman replied with a friendly smile. He and Millie retreated behind a glass window and began pressing buttons. Krista took a deep breath as the bed retreated into the machine.

"Alright, Krista, hold your breath for five seconds for me," Dr. Whitman said. Krista inhaled and counted to five, then let her breath out.

"Nice job. Now just relax, but don't move." Krista followed the doctor's instructions, and ten minutes later, the scan was over, and she was being led back to the procedure room she had started in.

Her heart jumped into her throat when she saw the contents of the tray that had been moved next to the exam table. A test tube, a syringe, and a very, very large needle. Krista began to panic, backing out of the room. Unfortunately, Mille was behind her and blocked her exit.

"I don't want to do this," Krista stuttered.

Dr. Whitman looked at her sympathetically. "Sorry, dear. It's for your health. It'll be over before you know it." Millie gave the 9-year-old a gentle push towards the exam table. She was instructed to lie on her side in a fetal position, hugging her legs to her chest.

"What's gonna happen?" Krista's heart was pounding a mile a minute.

"I'm going to numb you up, and then I will insert a needle between two of the bones in your lower back. This will let me get a sample of your spinal fluid so we can test it and make sure everything is a-okay," Dr. Whitman explained. He tried to use a soothing voice, but Krista was anything but calm. She felt something cold against her back, and she knew the needles were coming next.

"I'm scared," she whispered, tears brimming in her green eyes.

"Be brave," Millie encouraged.

"Ready?" Dr. Whitman asked. Millie positioned herself to hold Krista still and in place. Krista's breath came faster.

"You'll feel a little sting as I numb you." She felt a sharp poke and a burning sensation in her back, making her whimper. She began to tremble, cold fear creeping over her body.

"Alright, here we go. Hold still, Krista. One, two, three." Krista screamed as the needle was inserted into her back. It felt as if a fire blazed at the base of her spine. She couldn't imagine what it would have felt like if Dr. Whitman hadn't numbed her first. Of all the times she had had needles poked into her body over the years, this was by far the worst. Millie held her tightly in place. She felt a heavy pressure, and then more pain as the needle was adjusted.

"Make it stop! Make it stop! Please!" Krista cried. The agony was too much for her. All she wanted was for it to be over.

"Dear, you need to hold still. It's only making it worse," Dr. Whitman warned. Krista's sobs started anew as the pressure returned. It felt like an eternity had passed when Dr. Whitman announced it was over. Krista continued to lay on the exam table, shaking, tears still running down her cheeks as the pain finally began to subside. She hugged herself tightly, trying all she could to will the memory of the pain away. She heard Dr. Whitman speaking, but she couldn't make out his words, her attention still on the agony she had just endured. It was only when a figure stood in front of her that she emerged from her shock.

"Krista, let's go. Get changed. We have things to do." Mrs. Moore tossed her clothes at her and walked out of the room. Krista slowly sat up, her lower back throbbing. Millie helped her to change, then escorted her back out to the waiting room.

"Take it easy today. Don't do any physical activity. I would recommend just staying in bed," Dr. Whitman instructed her. Krista could only nod as she was impatiently ushered away and back to the car.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**6 Months Later**

**Cheyenne, Wyoming**

Krista hugged her knees to her chest as she watched the other kids play in the backyard. Ever since Ethan left, the others had begun to distance themselves from her. She recalled a conversation between Nolan and Ellie she overheard just a few days after Ethan was adopted.

"_I'm telling you, Ellie, I saw what he looked like right before they came to pick him up. And don't you notice how Krista is in perfect condition?" Nolan whispered urgently. _

"_I don't know, Nolan… Are you sure it's not because she's so young?" Ellie sounded hesitant._

"_That's never stopped them before. Don't you remember what happened to Janey when she broke that plate? She had to wear long sleeves for a week, and she was Krista's age. Younger, even."_

"_And you're sure she was with him?"_

"_Definitely. Ethan told me his plan, and Hazel says she saw Krista leave to meet him. Look, I'm not blaming her for what happened. All I'm asking is, why doesn't she ever get punished like the rest of us?"_

Ever since then, the other children had begun to shun her, as if she were some disease they didn't want to catch. As a result, Krista had withdrawn further into herself. Her words were few, her smiles rare. What if she _was_ at fault for what happened to Ethan? She couldn't bear it if someone else got hurt because of her.

The screen door swung open, and Mrs. Moore stood on the threshold, sweaty-faced and scowling. "Outdoor time is over. Someone's got to help me with dinner." She turned back inside as the group glanced at Krista.

"Not it." The mantra was echoed among the children, and Krista sighed.

"I'll do it." She trudged back into the building, making her way across the worn and scuffed wood floors to the small kitchen. Mrs. Moore had several vegetables out on the counter. A steaming pot of broth sat atop the stove that seemed older than all the children put together. Krista knocked tentatively on the door frame. Mrs. Moore turned around.

"Finally. Start chopping the onions. Be quick about it. Mr. Moore needs to eat before his meeting tonight." Krista went silently about her work, grabbing a rickety wooden stool to stand on so her torso was above the countertop. As she carefully chopped the pungent vegetable, Krista decided to brave a question.

"Mrs. Moore?" she asked timidly.

"What?"

"H-how come I never have adoption interviews like the other kids do?"

Andrea set down her wooden spoon and stared at her charge. She attempted a smile, her facial muscles unused to the movement. "Because, dear. You're special. It would make us so sad if you were ever to leave. Do you really want us to be sad?"

Krista looked down, the knife resting on the counter. "Of course I don't want you to be sad. I just really want a family of my own."

Without warning, Andrea's hand shot out, slapping Krista so hard across the cheek, she fell off the stool. Krista twisted her body to catch herself, landing awkwardly on her wrist. A sharp pain shot up her arm.

"How _dare_ you! Is OUR family not good enough for you?" Krista whimpered and cradled her wrist, scooting backwards to sit against the cabinets.

"After everything we've done for you!" Andrea threw a potato at the cowering 9-year-old. Krista covered her head as her caregiver raged on.

"You should be grateful we provide you with all you have! No one would want a little runt like you. So many health problems. Always so quiet, always keep to yourself. You should be glad to have a place here!"

Krista trembled. "I'm sorry. I am grateful, I promise. I'll be good."

Mrs. Moore crouched in front of her, tenderly putting her hand on Krista's cheek. "You are precious to us. You belong here." She stood, drying her hands on the apron hanging from her waist and returning her attention to the boiling pot on the stove. "Go wash up. Dinner is almost ready."

Krista scrambled out of the kitchen and up to her room. Her wrist throbbed as she slid down to the floor, her tears fresh and hot. The conversation with Mrs. Moore had shattered the last shard of hope she had.

_I'm never going to get a family._

**A/N: Thanks again to StormChaser90 for his editing and writing assistance, as well as several ideas and details he lent to this chapter. Get ready – big events are about to kick off in the next chapter. Thanks for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kim Possible_. It belongs to Disney and its creators. If it was in the show, I don't own it. Any songs mentioned are the property of their respective owners and artists. I am not doing this for compensation, simply for enjoyment and practice.

**Claimer: **Krista Ruthie Stoppable is my OC. If you want to use her, please ask.

**After All This Time**

**Chapter 7**

**6 Months Later**

**December 11**

**Middleton, Colorado**

"Kim! We gotta go! You're 'rents are expecting us!" Ron called, his voice echoing through the hallway as he donned his coat. He stood by the front door for a few seconds more, awaiting a response. When one didn't come, he sighed and began walking down the corridor, checking rooms. He ascended the stairs, thinking that perhaps she was still in their room getting ready, but instead he saw a light glowing from a room at the end of the hall.

_Oh no,_ he thought, making his way to the nursery. He found Kim sitting on the floor, a small scrapbook in front of her. The room around her had remained unchanged in the last ten years, meticulously kept as a shrine of remembrance to the daughter they never got to know. Ron sat down on the carpet next to his wife, folding her into his arms as they looked at the scrapbook.

"I can't believe it's been ten years," Kim whispered. She brushed a hand over the tiny hospital bracelet taped into the scrapbook.

"I know," Ron agreed. "So much has happened. But I still think about her every day."

"Me, too." There was silence for a few moments, then Kim abruptly started giggling. Ron looked at her, confused.

"Do you remember the day I found out I was pregnant?" she asked, smiling at him.

Ron laughed nervously. "Heh. Yeah. I really thought I was done for that day."

_Flashback_

_10 Years, 8 Months Ago_

_Ron sat on the front porch of Kim's house, nervously bouncing his leg. Yes, they were young. Just barely 19, but they loved each other to death. They were soul mates, vowing to be together forever. No one could deny how much they cared about each other. _

_The door opened behind him, and he stood up and faced his girlfriend, anxious with anticipation. Her face was flushed, but she was smiling. _

"_Well?" Ron asked nervously. Kim stepped closer to him. _

"_You, Mr. Stoppable, are going to be a father," Kim replied. Ron stood in shock for a split second before a trademark wide and goofy grin broke out on his face. He leapt forward and hugged his girlfriend close. _

"_You really mean…?" he asked. _

"_Yes. We're going to have a baby," Kim clarified. He hugged her even tighter, swinging her around. _

"_BOOYAH!" he shouted, making Kim laugh a bit. _

"_Hold it, mister. We still have one more thing to do today." Kim gave him a serious look. It took a moment for her meaning to register. _

"_Wha- oh. Oh no." _

_They had to tell their parents. _

"_Kim, I think it's best if you tell your dad without me, so I'll see ya." Ron attempted to run, but Kim grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. _

"_Oh no, you're not getting out of this. We're in this together. Like always." _

"_But Ki-im! You're dad's gonna send me to a black ho-ole!" Ron whined. He had a talent for turning one syllable words into two syllables._

_Kim began dragging him inside. "I won't let that happen. Now come on, let's get this over with." _

_And that's how they ended up sitting at the kitchen table in front of two very stern-looking Drs. Possible._

"_Are you sure?" Mrs. Dr. Possible asked them. Kim and Ron both nodded, their hands entwined together. _

_Mr. Dr. P's face became red as he stared at Ron. "Ladies, may I please have a moment with Ronald? Alone?" A small "eep" escaped from Ron, and Kim's grip tightened on her boyfriend's hand. _

"_Whatever you say to him, you can say to me, too, Dad." The rage seemed to rise in James's face for a moment before subsiding. He sighed._

"_Kimmie-Cub, I thought we taught you better, how to be careful," he said, sounding disappointed. _

"_You taught me well, Dad. I know we're young, and I'm sorry we weren't more careful. But Ron isn't just some fling. He's the love of my life. It would have happened eventually," Kim replied._

"_I just wish it didn't happen so soon," Anne chimed in. Kim and Ron cast their eyes down, ashamed. "But we won't shut you out just because you made a mistake." The two teens carefully glanced up and saw Kim's mom give a soothing smile to her husband. _

"_I know you love each other very much, and I knew this would happen eventually, but I do wish you would have waited just a few more years. But you two are old enough to make your own decisions," she finished. Kim waited a few seconds before speaking. _

"_So…?" she questioned. Her mother smiled at her. _

"_So congratulations." There was an audible sigh of relief from the couple. _

"_But," Mrs. Possible interjected, "taking care of a baby is a lot of work. They need to be constantly fed, changed, held, and played with, no matter what hour of the day. But I have no doubt you two can do it. And we will be here to help you. Both your father and I, and your parents, too, Ron." Kim got up and hugged her mother. _

"_Thank you so much, Mom. You don't know how much that means to us," Kim said. She turned to her father. "Daddy? I'm so sorry I disappointed you. I hope you can forgive us." _

_Her father gave a small smile. "Nothing you do could ever make me love you less. It is a shock, yes, and I also wish you would have waited and been more careful. But what's done is done, and I love you both, and I love this baby. You will make wonderful parents." Tears brimmed in Kim's eyes, and she rushed to hug her father tightly. _

"_Thank you, Dad. I can't wait for this baby to meet their grandfather." James smiled at the thought and hugged his daughter back. _

_They received a similar speech from Ron's parents, but by the end of the day, both families were flushed with joy and excitement at the news. _

_End Flashback_

"You proposed to me that night," Kim added quietly. "You took me to the pre-school playground where we first met and you proposed. That was the best day of my life."

"The best day of my life was when I met you," Ron told her. She smiled at him and ruffled his blonde hair. She turned the page, looking at a handwritten note that had been written nine years earlier. Similar notes occupied the next few pages. Finally coming to an empty page, Kim picked up a piece of paper that had been sitting next to her on the floor. She held it in her hands, re-reading it, and allowing Ron to read it as well.

_To our darling daughter,_

_It's been 10 years since you were born, and almost ten years since we lost you. We think about you every day, about the young lady you would have become – what your smile would look like, what your laugh would sound like, the look on your face on Christmas mornings. We miss you so much it hurts. It's hurt since the day you died, and I don't think our hearts will ever heal. We love you so much, baby girl. I wish we had had more time._

_Love, Your Mom and Dad_

A tear fell onto the paper, blurring some of the ink. Kim slid the annual birthday note into the plastic sleeve and closed the scrapbook. She hugged the book close to her heart for a few moments before rising and replacing it on its shelf. Ron waited patiently as Kim took one last look at the room. She returned to her husband, leaning into him for support as they walked out hand in hand.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Cheyenne, Wyoming**

It was nearly midnight. Moonlight filtered in through the thin curtains, illuminating a small bedroom with worn-down furniture. Both twin beds were occupied. Kara, one of the newer kids at the Moore Home for Children, was fast asleep. Krista, however, was wide awake. She lay on her side, staring out the dirty window at the moon above. The wind kicked up, making the windowpane whine. Krista shivered, pulling the threadbare sheet tighter around her shoulders. Silent tears fell down her cheeks as she looked at the dingy teddy bear that was her only possession.

"Happy birthday to me," she whispered forlornly. She hugged the stuffed animal closer, letting herself cry. _Another year, another forgotten birthday._ She had only made the mistake of reminding the Moores once about her birthday. Mr. Moore had gotten so mad, calling her ungrateful and spoiled, that he had locked her outside for most of the night with nothing but her winter coat and a quilt to keep her warm. That was all it took for her to learn her lesson. Year after year, her birthday went unnoticed by all but her. Year after year, she lost hope that she would ever leave this place. Every year she made the same birthday wish, and every year it went unfulfilled. This year, she didn't even bother wishing for a family.

There was one year where she dared to wish that Miss Lynn might adopt her. She had even gotten close to asking her once. Miss Lynn was the only one who could make her smile and feel a hope she had nearly forgotten. But she knew it would never happen. Mr. and Mrs. Moore would never allow it. She had to make do with the infrequent visits, those small spots of light in her dark world.

So tonight, as she had in the years before, she let herself feel hopeless. Shel let herself feel the weight of all her sadness, and she cried herself to sleep.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Around 3am, Thomas began his nightly rounds of making sure the children were still in their rooms. This had become a habit in recent years, his paranoia growing that someone would escape and expose them and his business would be ruined. As he made his way to the final room, a faint blue glow illuminated the corridor. Intrigued, he peeked into the bedroom, ecstatic at what he discovered. Krista was the source of the light, the dim blue glow engulfing her body. She was fast asleep, and her roommate didn't stir. Thomas hurried to his office and dialed a number.

"Henderson, it's finally happened," he relayed excitedly.

"What, sir?"

"She has started to show signs of the power. Which means we have a chance to replicate it in our project."

"Excellent news, sir. I will have our team begin research and trials right away. We may need more blood samples."

"Not a problem. Keep me updated on your progress." Thomas hung up the phone and sat back in his leather desk chair. Things might _finally_ be going his way.

**A/N: As always, thanks to StormChaser90 for his help with editing and details. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kim Possible_. It belongs to Disney and its creators. If it was in the show, I don't own it. Any songs mentioned are the property of their respective owners and artists. I am not doing this for compensation, simply for enjoyment and practice.

**Claimer: **Krista Ruthie Stoppable is my OC. If you want to use her, please ask.

**After All This Time**

**Chapter 8**

**6 Months Later**

**Middleton, Colorado**

Adrena Lynn entered the coffee shop, spying Kim and Ron at their usual table. She ordered her latte, then made her way to the crime fighters for their monthly meeting.

"Hey guys," she greeted, taking a seat across from them. "Any news on your end?"

"Nothing. We thought we had a lead a few weeks ago, but it turned up dead," Kim replied. "You?"

"Nada." Adrena took a sip of her coffee. "In fact, Thomas even seems lighter… happier, almost. I can't figure out why."

"Still doing the stunt classes with the kids?" Ron asked.

"Yep. But I tend to be teaching the same thing week after week. The turnover rate of the kids is ridiculous. One is only there for a few weeks before they're gone again. There's only one kid who's been there as long as I have. I asked Andrea about her, and she said that Krista is 'their favorite.'" Kim and Ron visibly winced at the name. After all these years, it still stung and stirred up hard memories.

"If that's true, why haven't they adopted her officially? Something just feels off about it, but I can't find any evidence of anything shady," Adrena finished. "I feel like I'm running out of time."

"It is frustrating after years of investigating. Maybe it's time to call it quits," Kim suggested. "Neither of us can find anything, so maybe there is nothing _to_ find."

Adrena Lynn bit her lip thoughtfully. "Maybe it is time. I've been trying to get back into the television business. My action career obviously didn't work out, so now I'm going the investigative journalist route. Maybe it's time to focus on that. I still want to visit the kids, but I might cut back on my classes a little." Something shattered in her heart, a little piece of her breaking. She couldn't shake this bad feeling, but perhaps she was just making something out of nothing. Kim could see how disappointed the former action star looked. She reached out and placed a comforting hand on Adrena's.

"If it makes you feel better, I can still have Wade monitor Thomas's business for buzz words and red flags," Kim offered.

"Thanks, Kim. Keep in touch?"

"Of course." Feeling heavy with emotion, Adrena Lynn made her goodbyes and returned to her car. It felt like she just closed a door that was not meant to be closed, but it was time to focus on the future.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**3 Months Later**

**7:00pm, Secret Research Facility, Outside Cheyenne, Wyoming**

Thomas entered the lab, heading towards the group of scientists gathered around a large cylindrical tank. Thomas took in the figure floating in the liquid, the subject in a deep, medically induced slumber.

"Amazing," he breathed, resting his hand on the glass. "Truly amazing."

Henderson turned around and faced his boss. "She's ready, sir. We've completed our tests. Her vitals are great, her brainwaves are stable, and scans show her power is fully developed. It took some time, but thanks to the tissue samples you procured for us, we were able to replicate the energy in Prototype L. It really is quite interesting – we found that the energy signature not only runs through the subject's blood, but in fact is infused in every living cell. We will be taking her off life support and beginning the recovery process later tonight before transferring her to the secondary facility for testing and training. We still don't know how her powers actually work, though, so I recommend that we take precautions."

"Fine, but I don't want any delays. We will begin bidding demonstrations next week. I'll have Hank Perkins begin drawing up some of the contracts and paperwork." Thomas marveled a few minutes longer at their greatest creation, soon to be the world's most powerful weapon. The resemblance to Kim Possible-Stoppable was uncanny. Krista definitely took after her mother. She was only "born" three months ago, but growth acceleration had been induced in her – a process that proved excruciatingly painful in the first prototype, which led all future subjects to be modified while in an induced coma. Her current physical appearance was that of a 16-year-old. The cloning process, however, was not entirely perfect, which resulted in minor mutations that affected her appearance. Instead of the original's blonde hair and green eyes, the girl in the tank possessed red hair with blonde highlights while complete heterochromia left her with one green eye and one brown eye. The uniqueness of her appearance would certainly add to her value. Finally, after years of research, tests, and failure, they had succeeded. The world would soon be introduced to Prototype L – codename: Krysta-L.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**2:00am, Secret Research Facility, Outside Cheyenne, Wyoming**

"Lee, how are the vitals looking?"

"Great, sir. I think we're ready." Henderson called over the intercom to the staff. Nearly two dozen scientists and security personnel gathered in the main lab. A small number of guards congregated around the holding tank. Others took up positions at various monitors and equipment, while a small team stood by with the portable containment unit.

"Alright, then. Let's begin the decontainment process. Make sure she stays under. We're just transferring her, not waking sleeping beauty." A few of them chuckled at the joke, breaking the tension a little. However, the risk still remained.

They had gone through the protocol several times to limit the risk of mistakes. Everyone knew their job. Though they had done several simulated run throughs, the tension hung thick in the room. This was the moment of truth – the ultimate test of their success. If this didn't work, it would be back to square one.

Henderson moved behind the main control panel. He tapped several buttons on the display, and the holding tank moved to a horizontal position, so the subject inside was lying on her back.

"Beginning fluid drain," said Henderson. A soft thud came from the inner workings of the chamber, and the support fluid began to seep out of the tank through the drainage systems.

"Stand by everyone. Removing life support."

Just as Henderson was about to type in another command, a shrill warning beep came from the computer. Everyone froze in horror as Henderson checked the display readout of the Electroencephalograph. The brainwaves began to spike, indicating that the subject was waking up.

"Damn it! I told you we weren't waking her up yet!" Henderson yelled in frustration.

"We didn't!" said Lee, checking his station. "The drugs are still in her system, so it shouldn't be possible! I...I can't explain how but she's somehow fighting to wake up!"

Inside the tank, a soft blue glow began to envelop Krysta-L. Henderson felt the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck start to rise, unsure if it was the result of fear or the subject's power. Warning klaxons sounded as tremors began to shake the facility, powerful enough to reach the warehouse above them that served as a front all these years. Cracks began to form in the glass, growing out like a spiderweb until it shattered outwards, showering those closest in glass. Screams of pain and panic filled the air as Krysta-L finally awoke.

In a clumsy manner, she fell out of the chamber and onto the cold, hard floor. The unexpected cool air caused her to shiver in response, hugging herself tightly to keep warm. Krysta-L's bi-color eyes gazed around the laboratory, confusion and fear gripping her as strange men surrounded her, all armed and equipped with protective armor.

"No! Stay back you fools!" Henderson shouted, as security moved in to restrain the subject.

Without quite knowing what was happening, Krysta-L could sense the danger that threatened her. Emanating yet another blue glow, the faint noise of distant monkey shrieks echoed throughout the laboratory, building up to a chaotic crescendo. Too late did the security team realize the danger, as shards of glass and broken debris levitated into the air. Henderson immediately ducked down to take cover, curling up on the floor as Krysta-L's feral scream filled the air.

An explosive blast of raw energy erupted from her body with the ferocity of a hurricane, violently smashing aside anyone in its path. The shock of the blast traveled through the earth, reaching up as it ruptured underground gas and water pipes. Underground electric cables severed, igniting the gas and triggering a series of catastrophic explosions. The warehouse above them was completely leveled, fires consuming the building and the unfortunate working occupants inside.

Choking on the burning smoke, Henderson cautiously emerged from his hiding place. The carnage he saw turned his stomach. Those who were closest to the shockwave were killed instantly, their limbs twisted and broken. The mobile containment team were mostly unharmed, suffering from superficial cuts and bruises. Henderson could see Krysta-L lying on the cracked floor, the strain of her sudden burst of power knocking her out. Scrambling over to her, he sighed in relief as he felt a slow but steady pulse. Her breathing was shallow, a small trickle of blood flowing from her nose. Taking off his lab coat and wrapping it around her, Henderson picked up the weakened girl in his arms and carried her to the mobile containment chamber.

"Quick! Get her in there!" he ordered.

Once the project had been placed in the chamber, it shut with a soft hiss as the chamber sealed. Several needles extended downward, piercing the skin and injecting more drugs to keep her under.

"Wait, where's Lee?" Henderson coughed, his eyes stinging from the smoke.

A ragged man emerged from the chaotic mess, blood flowing from a shard of glass that was embedded in his shoulder. Henderson rushed over to help him, only to be waved away.

"Don't worry about me, just get the project out of here! Authorities will be crawling all over this place any second!"

Lee ran to the office to grab what he could of their research, pages fluttering to the ground as he made his way out of the lab. Henderson and three others rushed to evacuate their project. Sirens could be heard in the distance as the building continued to burn, the scientists escaping into the night.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**5:15am, Outside Cheyenne, Wyoming**

Adrena Lynn walked among the charred ruins of the warehouse on the edge of town. Police tape blocked off the worst of the area, but her connections to the local law enforcement agency and her budding reputation as an investigative journalist allowed her access to some of the crime scene. Her cameraman, Terry, followed her trek through the destroyed building as she made her way to the police chief in the center of the ruins. She fought back the urge to vomit as she passed half-burnt bodies strewn across the ground, the coroners just now arriving to begin their grisly work. She turned her eyes away and focused on the task at hand.

"Chief Mullins, is there anything you can divulge about the cause of the destruction?" Adrena asked. The chief dismissed the other officers around him, turning to her.

"I can't say much right now. We're still investigating." He looked around, then pulled out a partially burned piece of paper. "Look, I'm not supposed to give any information to the press right now. But as a courtesy, I thought you might want to see this."

Adrena took the paper and scanned the contents. Her face paled, and her stomach dropped to her feet. She handed the paper back to the chief, thanking him. She turned to walk away, then stopped, pulling out her cell phone. It rang twice before it was answered.

"Kim, how fast can you get to Cheyenne?"

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**6:00am, Cheyenne, Wyoming**

Thomas stumbled into the Home, tossing his jacket on the floor. He staggered into the kitchen, pouring himself another glass of brandy. He downed it quickly, and poured another. Andrea entered the kitchen, tying her robe tightly around her.

"_Where_ have you been? You've been gone all night!" she asked angrily.

"It's destroyed," Thomas replied, pouring another glass.

Andrea stared at him. "What's destroyed?"

"Everything, Andrea!" Thomas slurred. "The research, the project, the facility. _Everything_!"

Andrea sank into the chair across from him. Thomas slid his glass over to her, drinking out of the bottle instead. His wife accepted the liquor, attempting to numb the shock of the news her husband had just relayed to her. They sat in silence, drowning their sorrows in drink, until Thomas's cell phone rang.

"What?" he barked. As he listened, a range of emotions passed over his face – shock, anger, anxiety. When he hung up the phone, his skin was pale. He looked at his wife.

"Team Possible is on the way."

**A/N: Krysta-L was created by StormChaser90. Special thanks to him for letting me use the character, and an extra special thanks to him for co-writing Krysta-L's awakening scene.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kim Possible_. It belongs to Disney and its creators. If it was in the show, I don't own it. Any songs mentioned are the property of their respective owners and artists. I am not doing this for compensation, simply for enjoyment and practice.

**Claimer: **Krista Ruthie Stoppable is my OC. If you want to use her, please ask.

**SONG (*): **"Kingdom Fall" by Claire Wyndham

**After All This Time**

**Chapter 9**

**6:00am, Outside Cheyenne, Wyoming**

Kim pulled the Sloth up outside the ruins of a warehouse. Adrena Lynn met her and Ron halfway. She looked shaken, like she was about to be sick.

"Thanks for getting here so quickly," Adrena said, quickly leading them inside the crime scene and towards the police chief.

"What's going on? Why are you so rattled?" Kim asked.

"It's… about my sister and her husband. I'll let Chief Mullins explain." The trio approached a man in the center of the wreckage. "Chief Mullins, this is Team Possible. I've asked them to come help with this investigation."

The chief shook their hands. "Of course. I've heard a lot about you two."

"So what happened?" Kim asked, looking around at the grisly scene. The building was destroyed. Pieces of charred machinery were strewn about. Several bodies lay covered around the room. Whatever had happened, it was violent.

"We were alerted to a fire here a few hours ago. Several explosions were triggered which destroyed the building. It seems the victims were some kind of scientists, though we could find no record of this location being registered as a research facility. It was actually registered as a satellite office for a software agency, under Thomas Moore's name. The evidence we were able to recover doesn't match up with this," the chief explained.

Adrena handed Kim and Ron the paper the chief had shown her earlier. "This is why I called you."

Kim and Ron looked over the burnt document, the remains of a memo.

_Subject: Prototype K_

_To: Thomas Moore_

_From: Dr. Kevin Henderson_

_Prototype K ended as a failure. Attempts were made to induce premature awakening of original subject's manifesting powers. Attempt was successful, but the energy levels generated resulted in cellular destabilization. Prototype K had almost entirely vaporized itself. Analysis of remains show Prototype K had defects at a cellular level upon gestation. Tissue samples from the origin subject will need to be collected and analyzed before work begins on Prototype L._

"Cloning?" Ron questioned. "That doesn't sound like normal software agency work."

"What concerns me more is that it sounds like they're testing on human subjects," Kim said. From what it looks like, they are attempting to clone someone with supernatural powers. It seems they've been trying for a long time."

"This has to be reason enough to confront them, right?" Adrena Lynn asked.

"More than enough," Kim agreed. "We have plenty of evidence for just cause."

"Then let's go. If they are involved in something this shady and dangerous, I don't want them around those kids for a second longer." Kim and Ron planned to follow Adrena Lynn in the Sloth to the Moore Home for Children. Chief Mullins agreed to meet them there in an hour.

Heart pounding, with a feeling of dread in her stomach, Adrena started her car.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**6:15am, Moore Home for Children**

Thomas pounded down the children's hallway in a drunken rage. "Get up! Everybody up!" Children drifted out of their rooms, rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. Krista emerged last, clutching her teddy bear.

"What's going on?" one of the kids asked. Thomas began shoving kids down the stairs.

"Let's go. To the cellar. Now," he commanded. He grabbed Krista by the arm and pushed her in front of him, herding the group of children to the basement. As the kids took the rickety steps to the musty, damp cellar, nervous murmurs passed among them.

"Mr. Moore, what's happening?" another kid braved. Andrea descended the steps, wild-eyed.

"You children _will_ keep quiet and stay here until we give permission for you to leave, or you will be punished," Andrea warned.

"How long do we have to stay down here?"

"Yeah, you can't keep us down here forever!" Furious, Thomas pulled out a gun, taking a shot at the ceiling. The reverberating _bang_ and the shock of the weapon's presence silenced the children. A few began to cry.

Outside, two cars were just pulling up to the Home, their passengers exiting when the shot went off. The color drained from their faces as they recognized the source of the sound. Adrena Lynn quickly led Kim and Ron into the building, frantically searching for her sister and brother-in-law.

"Andrea? Andrea, where are you?!" she called.

Andrea heard her sister calling her from upstairs, but stood confused, hearing more than one pair of feet running through the house. The door to the cellar opened, and Adrena descended the stairs, Team Possible behind her.

"Lynn! What are you doing here?" Andrea asked. She noticed the crime fighters and froze in shock. "Di-did you lead them here?"

"Andrea, what the hell is going on?" Adrena asked, ignoring the question. "Why does Thomas have a gun?!"

"_Answer me!_" Andrea screamed, the feeling of betrayal making her voice shrill. "Did you lead them here?!"

Adrena was silent for a moment. "Yes. I did. I've been working with them."

Andrea dragged her hands down the length of her face. "_No. _I can't believe this. My own sister."

Kim stepped forward, her hand reaching out slowly. "Thomas, put the gun down."

Thomas reeled around, his eyes wild. "_No!_ I will _not_ let you take away everything I've worked for!"

Kim took another slow step forward. Thomas pointed the gun at her. "Back away!" The crime fighter backed up, her hands in the air. She scanned the room for a way to disarm him, but with all the kids around, it was just too risky. She had to try to negotiate.

"Thomas, you don't want to do this," she ventured.

"Don't tell me what I want! What I want was destroyed! I have nothing else to lose."

"Think about this. Do you really want to be responsible for hurting one of these kids?" Adrena tried.

Thomas laughed, a cold, heartless sound. "Please. You think I wouldn't, if it would benefit me?"

Adrena Lynn's heart stopped. "Andrea. Sis, please. Talk some sense into him."

"Why should I listen to you? When you betrayed us?" Andrea spat. "We trusted you. We allowed you into our home. I would have risked _everything_ for you. In fact, I did!"

"Andrea, what are you talking about?"

Andrea pointed an accusatory finger at Kim and Ron. "_You!_ You ruined her career! You put her in prison for nearly _seven years_! You _deserved_ to be as unhappy as you made us!"

The trio of heroes glanced among each other, confused. The Moores were becoming more unhinged by the moment. It was only a matter of time before they did something drastic.

(*)

"You need to stop. Put the gun down and surrender. It's over," Kim stated firmly.

"It's not over until I say it is. I can still salvage this." Thomas reacted quickly, his eyes landing on his target. He pulled Krista from the huddle of children, his grip tight on her arm. Krista whimpered in terror as Thomas held the gun to her head. The sight made Adrena's blood boil. She shot a murderous look at her brother-in-law.

"Don't you _dare_ even think about it, you cold-hearted bas-" Kim shook her head, stopping Adrena from finishing her sentence. They didn't want to provoke him any further.

"Follow us, and she dies." He yanked Krista forward, making her lose her grip on her teddy bear. The dingy stuffed animal fell to the floor as she was pulled towards the cellar stairs. Kim, Ron, and Adrena had no choice but to get out of their way. Andrea followed close behind, shutting and locking the cellar door. The Moores dragged the ten-year-old out to their car, opening the back door and tossing her inside. Krista whimpered as she curled up on the floor of the vehicle.

Back in the cellar, Adrena Lynn knelt to the floor, picking up Krista's teddy bear, tears in her eyes. She turned to Kim and Ron, silently pleading.

"We'll go after the Moores. You stay here with the other kids. Make sure they're okay," Kim said.

Adrena handed the hero Krista's teddy bear. "Please. Don't let them hurt Krista. She's such a sweet kid and if anything-"

"It'll be okay. We'll get them," Ron said reassuringly.

Kim took the stuffed animal. "I promise you, she'll be safe." Adrena Lynn turned her attention to the terrified children as Team Possible ran up the stairs. They made quick work of the lock, bursting through the door and getting to the Sloth just as the Moore's car was racing out of the lot. They followed the vehicle at dangerously high speeds, kicking up dust as they passed over beaten-down backroads. They nearly missed the turnoff the Moores took, requiring Kim to slam on the brakes and skid to turn her car around. This cost them precious seconds, and when they finally caught up to the Moores again, Thomas and Andrea were exiting the car in front of an abandoned house, Krista already in Thomas's grip.

"You just can't follow directions, can you?" Thomas sneered. He pressed the gun harder against Krista's temple, making her whimper. "Do you _want_ to see her die?"

"Let her go. She's got nothing to do with this. It's us you want," Kim reasoned.

"She has _everything _to do with this," Thomas shouted. "You think I won't do it? You think I won't kill her just to see you suffer again?" He backhanded Krista with the fist that held the gun. She cried out, a bruise already beginning to form at the site of the blow. Kim and Ron felt sickened, horrified at the lengths this man was willing to go to prove a point.

"Does _that _show you how serious I am? I am willing to do _anything_ to save my business." The heroes had no response. They didn't want to provoke him. Currently, he had the upper hand, and any false moves on their part would prove disastrous for Krista. Thinking quickly, Kim tapped the Kimmunicator on her wrist against her leg, the device emitting a _beep_, low enough so that only she and Ron could hear it. She glanced at her husband, conveying her plan.

"I know you're angry with us-"

"ANGRY? _Angry_ doesn't even _begin_ to describe it."

"Come on, man. If you're so mad, let the kid go, and deal with us, one on one," Ron said, his eyes beginning to take on a blue glow. In his rage, Thomas didn't notice.

"I will _not_ just throw the last _ten years_ down the drain!"

"What, are you too scared? You know you can't win against us one on one, so you have to hide behind a little girl?" Ron taunted.

"_ENOUGH!_" Thomas yelled, turning the gun on the crime fighters. That was the opening Kim needed. She aimed her Kimmunicator at the gun and fired a blast of concentrated energy, knocking the weapon out of Thomas's hand. Caught off guard, Thomas was unprepared when Ron lunged at him. His grip on Krista loosened, and she fell to the ground, stumbled, and ran, seeking shelter. Ron's enhanced strength made it easy to subdue Thomas, who was still too drunk to fully have control over his faculties. Andrea stood frozen off to the side, too shocked and furious to move, making it easy for Kim to get her into custody. The police arrived at just that moment, having been called by Adrena Lynn and led to the scene by Wade, who tracked Kim's Kimmunicator for the coordinates. Relief and satisfaction washed over the heroes as they watched the Moores being arrested. They looked around the yard, but found no sign of Krista. Kim returned to the Sloth, producing the teddy bear Adrena Lynn had given her.

It took a few minutes of searching before they heard crying from a shed in the backyard. Ron opened the door, the sliver of light widening to reveal Krista. She was huddled in the corner, hugging her legs to her chest. Tears streaked her dirty cheeks, the top half of her right eye swollen from the blow Thomas had dealt her. Kim and Ron approached her slowly, kneeling in front of her.

"Krista?" Kim said softly, reaching out to put her hand on the girl's shoulder. Krista whimpered and shrank back, trembling in fear, her mind still telling her she was in danger. Kim pulled her hand back.

"Hey, it's okay. I know you don't want to be touched right now. I just thought you might want this." She held out the teddy bear. Krista sniffled and carefully looked up. The man and woman in front of her had warm, friendly smiles on their faces. Slowly, she took the bear, hugging it close. Emotions overtook her, and fresh sobs started.

"Please- please don't make me go back there," she pleaded through her tears.

"Don't worry, sweetie. They won't hurt you anymore. They're going to jail for a long, long time," Kim assured her. "But there is one person who really wants to see you and make sure you're safe. Do you remember Miss Lynn?" The promise of seeing Miss Lynn again helped Kim and Ron to coax Krista out of her hiding place. Tentatively, she followed the crime fighters to their car, allowing them to drive her back to the orphanage.

The place was swarmed with first responders. Police officers questioned the neighboring residents, and EMTs checked out the children. Krista held her teddy bear close to her chest as Kim and Ron led her over to one of the ambulances to get looked at. Adrena Lynn wasn't in the yard, so the duo ventured into the building to find her.

Adrena was in Thomas's office, rifling through massive files of documents that they had found hidden in his desk. At first, she found nothing out of the ordinary, but upon examining a loose panel on the wall, she discovered a hidden door. Beyond it was a hidden office, complete with a complicated computer set-up, filing cabinets filled with paperwork, and a large metal safe. Inside one of the drawers were files, with names of kids that were adopted. She recognized one of the names: Ethan. He had been adopted two years ago, according to the "official" records in Thomas's cover office, but what the file contained was something she couldn't unsee.

The file had reports indicating he was sold to a private company, the name redacted, that was conducting illegal tests involving dangerous chemicals, with a photograph taken of the results on the test subject. Dread gripped Adrena's heart, but she had to know what happened, her trembling hand turning the page to reveal the photograph. How she wished she could burn the image from her mind.

Dropping the file to the floor, Adrena rushed to the trash can and collapsed in front of it, throwing up. Tears fell as she wiped the bile from her mouth, wishing she had found the truth earlier. How many more lives had Thomas's greed and evil affected? Did her sister knowingly support this?

Her heart heavy, she put the file she was reading away, turning back to the safe. It took her a few minutes to crack the code and open it. She pulled out a thick manila envelope, Krista's name written on the top. Her stomach churned again, dreading what Thomas and her sister were doing to Krista. All the signs of abuse were there, yet her sister insisted that nothing was wrong, that Krista was just a shy girl.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Why had Krista's file been kept locked in the safe? She opened the envelope, spilling the contents on the desk. She leafed through several documents and newspaper clippings.

_Team Possible Pregnant! The Famous Heroes Expect a New Addition This Winter._

_It's A Girl! Welcome Krista Ruthie Stoppable!_

_Tragedy Strikes: The Unstoppable Team Possible Mourn the Loss of Their Infant Daughter._

Adrena's mind whirled as she began to put the pieces together. _Krista Ruthie._ _Krista._ The resemblance between the child and the two heroes became so obvious. Her heart broke at the idea that her own sister could do something so sickening, even more so for how much she had grown to care for Krista.

Adrena was still staring, open-mouthed, at the file in her hands when Kim and Ron entered.

"We got them. They're in custody," Kim reported proudly. Adrena looked up at her, shock still outfitting her ashen face.

Kim's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "What's wrong?"

It took another moment before Adrena could speak. "I- we found these files, and- there's so much to explain, but you guys need to see this first." She handed over the file, the newspaper clippings on top. Kim and Ron flipped through them, confusion clouding their minds.

"Wha-?"

"Kim, Ron… Krista is your daughter."

**A/N: The truth is out. Coming up next, we see Kim and Ron's reaction to the news. Special thanks again to StormChaser90 for his assistance with editing and co-writing part of the scene where Adrena Lynn discovers Thomas's files.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kim Possible_. It belongs to Disney and its creators. If it was in the show, I don't own it. Any songs mentioned are the property of their respective owners and artists. I am not doing this for compensation, simply for enjoyment and practice.

**Claimer: **Krista Ruthie Stoppable is my OC. If you want to use her, please ask.

**After All This Time**

**Chapter 10**

**Cheyenne, Wyoming**

"_Kim, Ron… Krista is your daughter."_

Kim stared at Adrena Lynn, the file still clutched in her hands. "Our… daughter? No… our daughter is dead."

Adrena shook her head. "She's not, Kim. She's alive. And she's here."

Ron grabbed his wife's hand, barely allowing himself to hope. "But… how? We saw- we saw her body."

Adrena flipped to a page in the file. "You saw a cadaver designed to look like her. It's all here. The order for the dummy, the correspondence between the Moores and Dr. Steven Whitman, the documentation of the handoff."

_Dr. Whitman._ He was Krista's doctor in the hospital that night. There was so much to process. Kim and Ron felt dizzy with all the information. A sudden wave of dread hit Kim. She doubled over, grabbing the desk to steady herself.

"Kim?" Ron asked, putting a hand on his wife's back. "Are you okay?"

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "If this is true, that means that our daughter… our poor baby girl has been living in this hell for the last ten years."

The realization struck Ron, his stomach twisting into knots. Based on Thomas's actions today, it sickened him to think how their daughter had been treated over the last decade.

"There's more here, but it doesn't make sense. There are medical records. Krista was diagnosed with asthma, but they also list an undetermined lung disease. Dr. Whitman has performed several tests on her over the years – blood work, MRIs, CT scans, even a spinal tap. In all my interactions with Krista, she's never seemed to have more than a moderate case of asthma. Thomas and Andrea didn't let her do much, but she never seemed so unhealthy as to need all of these tests." Adrena handed Kim and Ron the paperwork, waiting as they flipped through. They didn't know why the Moores had Krista go through all these tests, and they were determined to find out. But right now, all they could think was that the daughter they had been missing for ten years was right outside, and they didn't want to waste another second away from her.

"How are we going to tell her?" Ron asked.

Kim put a hand to her forehead. "I don't know. This is all happening so fast." She turned to Adrena Lynn. "Maybe you should break the news to her, since you know her more than we do. She seems to trust you."

Adrena could detect a hint of pain in Kim's voice – pain that someone else knew her own child better than she did. She nodded silently, leading Kim and Ron outside. Krista was still sitting in the back of the ambulance, but she was clearly in distress. She wouldn't let the EMTs touch her, or even get near her. When she spotted Adrena, she ran forward, wrapping her arms around the former stunt star.

"Miss Lynn!" she cried. "Don't let them hurt me. I don't want any more tests." Kim and Ron felt a pang in their hearts.

Adrena knelt down to Krista's level. "They just want to make sure you're okay. No tests today. I promise." She led Krista back to the ambulance, sitting with her while the EMT checked her over. There were no visible cuts or broken bones, so they allowed Krista to leave their care. Adrena led her over to a secluded part of the yard, Kim and Ron following a few steps behind.

She sat Krista on the ground, kneeling in front of her. "I have a few people I want you to meet. They are very good friends of mine. I've known them for a long time." She beckoned the crime fighters closer. "This is Kim and Ron. They saved you today."

Krista gave a shy wave and a whispered thank you.

"We found something in Mr. Moore's office that's very important. Krista, honey… this is your mom and dad."

Confusion settled on Krista's features as she glanced between Miss Lynn and the two people she had just met today. "Wh-what?"

Kim and Ron knelt down, too. "We're your parents, Krista."

As the fog cleared from her mind, a sudden realization hit her. "Wh-why did you give me up?"

"Oh, sweetie, we didn't. You were taken from us. We were told you were dead. We never would have given you up," Kim explained.

"But why did they do that?"

"The Moores were angry at us for something that happened a long time ago. They wanted to hurt us. So to get to us, they took you," Ron answered.

Everything made sense now. Why the Moores had called her "special." Why she had never had any adoption interviews. Why she had watched her friends come and go while she remained. It was all to get back at her parents.

_Her parents_. It was so much to process. After years of hopeless wishes, here they were, right in front of her. Her family. But a decade of dashed hopes and pain had made her cautious. Instead of running to them with open arms, she could only sit, staring at the ground. She didn't know these people. Her time at the Moore Home for Children had taught her to be wary of strangers.

"I know you don't know us, and after everything you've been through, I'm sure it's hard to trust us. We want you to take your time. But we also want you to know how much we love you – we've loved you since the day you were born. We never stopped." Kim's voice cracked as her eyes brimmed with tears.

_We love you_. Those were three words Krista had never heard expressed to her in her lonely life. It overwhelmed her. She began to cry, hugging herself until Miss Lynn gave her a gentle push towards her parents. Tentatively, Krista let them hug her. The gesture lasted only a few moments before a choking anxiety welled up inside her at the contact, warning bells going off in her head. She pulled away, her breathing heavy, her tears coming faster. Her mind had been wired to interpret close contact as a threat.

Kim recognized the signs of a panic attack. "Krista, honey, breathe. It's okay. You're safe." The three adults around her coached her in taking deep breaths until she settled.

"I-I'm sor-sorry," she stuttered through the remnants of her sobs.

"You don't have to be sorry, kiddo," Ron reassured her. "You've been through a lot. It's okay to feel overwhelmed."

She had never had anyone validate her feelings before. She was being shown more kindness in these few moments than she had received in her entire life. The stress, strain, and emotion of the day took its toll on her, and she fainted, Kim catching her before her head hit the ground. She cradled her daughter – her little girl – in her arms, gently brushing the blonde hair out of her face.

They knew they had a long road ahead of them. They didn't know what Krista had endured, but it was clear she was going to need a lot of help, mentally and emotionally, for her to adjust to her new life and put the past behind her. But Kim and Ron didn't care. They would do anything to help their baby girl feel better. They would find a way to pull the moon out of the sky if that's what she needed. All that mattered was that she was alive, that she was with them. And they were never letting her go again.

**3 Days Later**

**Middleton, Colorado**

Kim and Ron exited the Sloth in front of Kim's parents' house. Another car pulled up behind them, and Adrena Lynn joined them on the driveway. She had been acting as a liaison of sorts. As the one person Krista knew and trusted best, Adrena had helped her get to know her parents and get comfortable being with them. It had taken a few days to get everything in order. Krista had been questioned by the authorities, which had proved an exhausting and traumatizing experience for her. She had originally refused to talk, terrified that the Moores would find out she told on them and would retaliate against her. When Adrena had finally convinced her to share, Krista stuttered through her recollections, pain and anxiety choking her voice. Kim, Ron, and Adrena had sat behind her as she told the story of when she and Ethan had snuck into Thomas Moore's office, of the night when she had been locked outside in the cold, of the countless cruel words and abusive actions directed towards her. There were moments when one of the adults had to leave the room, the horror and ache of hearing what this child had endured proving too much. It had taken two days to get through the interview, Krista requiring frequent breaks from retelling the horrors of her childhood.

On the final day, a court-appointed lawyer and therapist met with the reunited family. There were legal proceedings to go through. Thomas and Andrea had refused to acknowledge that Krista was the Stoppables' daughter, and though the evidence found in Thomas's office and the resemblance between child and adults certainly pointed to that truth, there still needed to be an official declaration, which required a blood test. The announcement of this sent Krista into a panicked frenzy, memories of the countless needles and tests she had been subjected to flooding her mind.

It had nearly broken Adrena Lynn's heart as she held the sobbing child in her lap, trying to soothe her while simultaneously allowing the nurse to collect the small blood sample required for the test. She hated to force Krista into another test when she was clearly so fearful, but she knew nothing would get better for her until they officially proved that Krista was Kim and Ron's daughter. It had taken all three of them nearly an hour to calm her down again.

The results confirmed what they already knew, and the lawyer proceeded with handing over what they could find of Krista's personal and medical records. Then it was the therapist's turn to speak, who suggested that Krista leave the room with Adrena Lynn.

"After reviewing Krista's situation and observing her behavior and mannerisms over the last few days, I have determined that Krista is suffering from severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as severe anxiety. It's hard to know for sure what her triggers are, but from what I have seen, doctors and needles are certainly two of them. You had mentioned earlier that physical touch and close contact might be others, which is not unusual in abused children," the therapist explained.

"So what can we do to help her?" Ron asked, leaning forward in his chair.

The therapist pushed her glasses up higher on her nose. "I recommend counseling several times a week. Take things slow with her – let her take the lead in showing you when she's ready for something. Introduce new things gradually. But most of all, just show her you are there and ready to listen and love her unconditionally. It is going to be tough. It is going to be a struggle. But with love and consistence, she will improve with time."

And so it was decided that Adrena Lynn would accompany them to introduce Krista to her extended family. As she had been a positive constant in her old life, it was their hope that she would help her transition into her new life.

Ron went to gather Krista's meager belongings from the trunk – a single, battered suitcase containing a few changes of clothing and the records they had been given on her. Krista clutched her teddy bear as Kim and Adrena helped her out of the backseat of the car. They hadn't had time to call ahead and tell their parents the news. The plan was to have Kim and Ron give her parents a heads-up while Adrena Lynn waited with Krista in the yard. They would introduce her to Ron's parents tomorrow.

Stopping in front of the door, Kim knelt down to her daughter's level, who held Adrena's hand tightly. "Okay, sweetie, we'll be right back. We're going to go talk to your grandparents for a minute, and you can come in when you're ready." Krista nodded timidly, and Kim and Ron entered the house.

Hearing the front door open and close, Anne peeked her head out of the kitchen. "Kimmie! You're finally home! How did the investigation go?"

Kim reached for Ron's hand. "It was rough. Mom, is Dad here? And the Tweebs?"

Anne could sense something amiss in her daughter's tone. "They're in the den. Is everything alright?"

"We need to talk to everyone together."

Her mother furrowed her eyebrows, confused and concerned. "Alright, honey." She followed her daughter and son-in-law into the living room, joining her husband on the couch. Her two sons, who were also visiting, sat on the floor.

"Kim and Ron have something they need to tell us," Anne explained. All eyes turned to the crime fighters, who were more nervous than they had ever been.

"I'm really not sure how to start," Kim began, glancing at her husband. "Adrena Lynn called us to Cheyenne to investigate her sister and brother-in-law. It turns out, they were using their orphanage as a front to sell children on the black market to chemical testing facilities."

Horrified murmurs floated around the room. Ron waited for them to die down before he continued. "But that wasn't everything we found… Ten years ago, the Moores had also kidnapped a child from the hospital and kept her at the Home for their own purposes. What that is, we still don't know yet. But the child they kidnapped… was ours."

There was silence as the news registered. A range of emotions passed over the Possibles' faces – shock, anger, sadness, happiness, confusion.

"Wait. You mean-"

"Krista is alive," Kim interrupted her mother. "And she's here. You guys will get to meet her, but there's some things you need to know first." Anne clutched James's hand, sensing her daughter's concern.

"We don't know everything that happened to Krista, but we do know that she has been abused – physically and emotionally. She was diagnosed with severe PTSD and anxiety. We're not sure of everything that triggers her panic attacks yet, but she doesn't like to be touched. She's going to be really scared when she comes in. She doesn't trust strangers. Just be gentle with her, take it slow. Adrena is here to help her feel comfortable – she's known her for a long time."

"Of course, honey. Anything to help her feel safe," Anne said. This was all very overwhelming, but their feelings were not important at the moment. What was important was making sure Krista felt comfortable and safe.

"I'm going to go get her. I'll be right back," Kim said. She returned to the front door and opened it. Krista sat on the front step with Adrena Lynn. "You ready, Krista?"

Krista glanced at Adrena, who gave her an encouraging smile. She looked back to Kim – her mom – and nodded. Kim reached out and offered her hand, Krista tentatively taking it. She looked back at Adrena.

"Don't worry. I'll be right behind you," Adrena reassured her.

Kim led Krista to the living room where the family was gathered. She knelt down next to her daughter and introduced each member in turn. "That's your Uncle Tim and your Uncle Jim. And this is your Grandma Anne and Grandpa James." The family gave her warm smiles and kind greetings. Krista timidly waved back.

"You have no idea how happy we are to see you, sweetheart," Anne said warmly. "We've all missed you so much."

Krista didn't say anything, overwhelmed at the number of strangers in the room. Adrena knelt down on the other side of her.

"Krista, why don't you tell them how old you are?" she encouraged.

Krista peeked up through her long eyelashes. "I'm ten."

"Krista also likes to dance," Adrena added, attempting to start a conversation and make her young friend feel welcome.

"That's wonderful!" James replied. "You know, Krista, your mother used to be a cheerleader."

"Really?" Krista asked curiously, glancing up at her mom.

Kim smiled. "I was. I was captain of my high school squad."

"That's where she learned all her cool crime fighting moves," Jim added.

"Yeah. Maybe sometime she can teach a few to you," Tim chimed in.

Krista looked curiously at her uncles. "Are- are you twins?"

"Yup," they replied together. "Kim calls us the 'Tweebs.'"

"Why?"

Kim laughed. "Just a little nickname I gave them when they were younger and much more annoying. It stands for 'Twin Dweebs.' They are incredibly smart."

"They helped build your mom's car," Ron said. Krista's eyes widened in amazement.

Adrena was in awe at how well Krista was doing, but they didn't want to push her limits. The family said their goodnights, and Kim, Ron, and Adrena led Krista upstairs to Kim's old room. They planned to stay overnight to allow Krista to process this new environment before introducing a another new one. After Krista had brushed her teeth and changed into her pajamas, the three adults tucked her into bed.

"Now if you need anything, we will be right downstairs. Miss Lynn is going to stay over, too," Kim said. Krista nodded, hugging her teddy bear close.

"Sleep well, kiddo," Ron said. "We love you." Kim turned on a nightlight, and they descended the stairs. Exhaustion distracted Krista from the anxiety of this new place, and she fell asleep quickly. Before heading to bed themselves, Kim and Ron checked on their daughter. In the dim light of the room, she seemed to be sleeping peacefully. It was a small mercy, after everything she had endured. Kim leaned into her husband as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Happy tears fell as she watched the daughter they thought they had lost. After all this time of sorrow and betrayal and fear, they finally had a chance at the family they thought they would never have.

Kim smiled through her tears, whispering into the dark. "Welcome home, baby girl."

**A/N: One more chapter left. Thanks again to StormChaser90 for editing assistance.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kim Possible_. It belongs to Disney and its creators. If it was in the show, I don't own it. Any songs mentioned are the property of their respective owners and artists. I am not doing this for compensation, simply for enjoyment and practice.

**Claimer: **Krista Ruthie Stoppable is my OC. If you want to use her, please ask. Krysta-L (aka Krystal) was created by StormChaser90 and used with permission. If you want to use her, please contact him for permission.

**Warning:** Contains some mild language.

**After All This Time**

**Chapter 11**

**3 Days Later**

**Wyoming State Maximum Security Prison**

A loud, electronic buzz sounded as the metal door swung open. Henderson entered the small visitors' room. The room was divided in two by a thick wall. The wall itself was further divided into cubbies. Each cubby consisted of a short ledge on either side creating a table of sorts. A layer of reinforced bulletproof glass separated the two tables. A one-way phone was the final adornment to each side of the cubicle, allowing visitor and prisoner to communicate without being in the same room. Two guards were in the back corners of either side, and an extra two guards flanked the door on the prisoner side.

The scientist was led to a cubby in the middle. He took his seat just as a prisoner appeared on the other side of the glass. The felon looked at his visitor, shock outfitting his features. He sat and reached for the phone with both of his cuffed hands, lifting it to his ear.

"Henderson? What are you doing here?" Thomas Moore asked. "I was told my lawyer was coming to speak to me."

"I have some news." Henderson didn't have much time, so he cut right to the chase. "The project is safe."

It took a moment for realization to dawn on the former businessman. Glancing at the guards in the room, he ducked his head closer to the phone, speaking in an urgent, hushed tone. "What? How? The facility was destroyed!"

"We got it out in time. She is at Site Beta now, beginning her training. It's going slower than we hoped – she needs to learn English and how to communicate first – but we should be ready for demonstrations next month."

Relief almost knocked Thomas out of his chair. He put his cuffed hands to his head, allowing the news to sink in. When he had recovered himself, he put the phone back to his ear. "Who is overseeing the training? I was told much of our remaining staff fled after the destruction of the facility and our arrest."

Henderson nodded with a scowl, confirming this. "They did, the cowards. But Lee and I have taken charge of what's left of the staff. We used some connections, and found someone willing to train her with the utmost urgency and discretion."

"Where?"

"Have you ever heard of the Yamanouchi School in Japan?"

**XXXXXXXXXX**

On the opposite side of the facility, Andrea Moore was being ushered to a visit of her own. She prayed that it wasn't Hank Perkins. She couldn't stand the man, and Thomas had been handling things with their lawyer. As she was unceremoniously shoved into a chair in one of the cubbies, she got a glimpse of a woman on the other side of the glass, relief washing over her. Her relief wouldn't last long, however, as her eyes focused on her sister.

With great difficulty, she managed to pick up the phone with her bound hands. "Lynn, what are you doing here?"

Adrena Lynn's eyes blazed with hatred and disgust as she met the gaze of the woman she used to adore. "I had to find out why. Why did you do it? Did you _know_ what Thomas was doing to those children?"

Andrea clamped her jaw shut, her mouth a thin line. Her silence confirmed what Adrena had already suspected. A wave of nausea washed over her, and she had to fight to keep her breakfast down. She looked away from her sister, composing herself with controlled breaths before putting the phone back to her ear.

"How _could _you?"

Again, Andrea was silent.

"And Krista? How could you take a child away from its parents? Do you know the pain you caused Kim and Ron?"

Finally, her sister had an answer. "I do. And I'm _glad._ I only wish we had caused them more."

Adrena Lynn's hand curled so tightly in a fist that her nails broke skin, causing little droplets of blood to appear on her palm. "_Why?_"

"You know why!" Andrea railed. "They _destroyed_ you! They destroyed _us_! I wanted them to feel the same pain I felt when I saw you get arrested. I wanted their most precious thing in the world to be ripped away."

Adrena lost her composure, slamming a fist onto the plexi-glass. "Yeah, they had me arrested! I was angry at first, but I'm _glad_ they did! I can accept my mistake, and I paid for it!" She breathed heavily, closing her eyes and taking a slow, calming breath. "Y-you haven't changed a damn bit. After all these years, you're still the same little girl wanting to live my life. Well, I never wanted revenge, and I damn well never asked _you_ to do it for me!"

Adrena couldn't make eye contact with her sister anymore. She thought back to the bruises on Krista's arms and face, the fear in her eyes on the day the truth came out. She swallowed hard, forcing her gaze to return to the woman in front of her. "I was going to do it, you know. I was going to adopt her before we found out who she was. I was going to give her the happy life she deserved." Tears fell from her eyes, and she wiped them away with her sleeve. Her voice cracked as she spoke again.

"I-I grew to love her, and I still do. Do you have any idea how much it broke my heart when I learned the truth?"

Andrea hesitated before reaching out to place a comforting hand on the barrier between them, where her sister's hand rested on the other side. Adrena sensed the movement, wrenching her hand away from the glass.

"For old time's sake, I'm paying for your lawyer. Hopefully he'll get you a life sentence, not the death penalty. Your husband on the other hand – I can't _wait_ for the day they send that bastard to hell."

Adrena Lynn stood, moving to place the phone back on its base. She hesitated, returning it to her ear one last time.

"You are no longer my sister. You… you're a monster."

The declaration cut Andrea to the core. She jumped as Adrena slammed the phone back on the base, and trembled as she watched her leave, never once looking back.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**2 Days Later**

**Site Beta, Location Classified**

Dr. Lee yawned, carrying a cup of coffee, his injured arm in a sling.

It had been a week since Prototype-L's premature awakening, or 'birth', in Site Alpha - a disaster that cost the lives of a dozen good men and women, as well as the near total loss of ten years of genetic research.

Fortunately, they still had the project.

The clone of Krista Ruthie was proving to be far stronger than they initially thought. Modifications to her genome temporarily accelerated her aging process, but were also believed to have triggered the manifestation of her powers. There wasn't much information on what was known only as MMP: Mystical Monkey Power. The only known leading expert in the criminal underworld was Lord Montgomery Fiske, who went missing over ten years ago and was officially declared deceased.

This forced them to study this with a scientific mind. If they could somehow learn about the exact properties of the energy signature, the applications could benefit the world. At the moment, controlling such power was going to be difficult. He could only imagine what might happen when she begins training, having hired a Japanese national called Fukushima to train her in hand-to-hand combat. But before combat training could begin, she had to learn how to communicate.

Stopping by what some on-site staff took to calling 'The Exhibit', Dr. Lee checked in on her.

Inside the room was a simple bed, a small writing desk and chair, a computer terminal set up with basic learning software and a private bathroom. The walls were padded to prevent injury, in case her powers flared up. The clone was at the computer, dressed in a simple attire of grey sweater, sweatpants, and sneakers.

She was using the educational software, slowly making progress with her understanding of basic English. Despite her age, she was already learning how to talk, and was capable of speaking simple phrases. Conversations were beyond her currently, yet it didn't stop her from attempting to talk to others.

Sensing his presence, the young woman turned in her chair to face him, as Dr. Lee entered her room.

"Duck...tuh, Luh-ee," she said, her words clumsy and broken.

"It's 'Doctor Lee,'" he said, pronouncing the words slowly for the clone.

She furrowed her brow in concentration, before trying again.

"Doc-tor, L-Lee," she said, slowly but more clearly.

Dr. Lee smiled, impressed at her rate of learning. "Good work. I'm just checking on how you are doing."

She pointed at the computer. "Eng-lish."

"Yes. You are making good progress. We are very proud of you." Cradling the clipboard in the crook of his good arm, he awkwardly leafed through the documents, some of them coming loose as he accidentally dropped his pen.

Cursing under his breath, he went to pick it up, only for the clone to pick it up and hold it out for him. Already she was beginning to learn basic social interactions.

Dr. Lee took the pen, nodding a little in gratitude. "Thanks."

Writing a few notes down, he tucked the clipboard under his arm. "That will be all. Lights out in an hour."

Leaving her room, he was unaware that one of the papers came loose and fell to the floor. Before the clone could say anything, he was gone. With a curious glance, she picked up the document and studied the words, many of which she didn't know.

Looking at the word that said 'name' was hers. Krysta-L.

She had not gotten around to learning hyphenated words yet, the clone attempting to the best of her current ability.

"Krys...Krys-taal."

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**1 Week Later**

**Stoppable Home, Middleton, Colorado**

A gut-wrenching scream awoke Kim and Ron from their uneasy slumber. Leaping out of bed, they quickly made their way to the room down the hall, flicking the light on as they entered. The former nursery had been transformed quickly, the decorations and clothing being updated to fit a ten-year-old rather than an infant. The crib had been replaced by a twin-size bed, the occupant of which was sitting bolt upright, her eyes squeezed shut, hugging the sheets, teddy bear, and a Pandaroo close to her chest. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sobbed in fear.

Kim and Ron made their way to the bedside of their daughter. Ron knelt on the floor, putting his hand on Krista's back while Kim sat on the edge of the bed, gently holding her wrists to keep her from thrashing.

"Krista. Krista, sweetheart, it's alright. You're okay. You're safe," Kim said softly, going through the familiar mantra of reassurance that had been a staple of their nightly routine for the past week and a half.

Krista's eyes popped open. Her breathing became fast as she looked frantically around the room for the danger she had just faced, before her gaze landed on her parents. As the haze of the nightmare faded and the room came into focus, fresh sobs wrenched from her chest. She nearly hyperventilated, doubling over to hug her knees to her chest. Kim took her daughter's hands, leaning down so she could see her tear-streaked face.

"Deep breaths, sweetie. Remember what we learned. Focus on the room. What can you see?" Kim coached.

Krista tentatively raised her head, peering around the softly-lit room. "I- I s-see a lamp."

Kim gave an encouraging smile. "Good. What else?"

The ten-year-old's eyes swept over to a bookcase. "I see-e b-books."

Ron gestured to the Cuddle Buddy in Krista's arms. "And what do you have there?"

Krista gave a weak smile as her breathing slowed. "My Pandaroo."

The room was silent as the adults gave their child time to process and compose herself. After a few moments, Kim ventured, "Want to talk about it?"

Krista shook her head vehemently, hugging her legs to her chest and resting her chin on her knees. She _never_ wanted to talk about it. Because talking about it would make it real. Another tear rolled down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away.

"You have to know you're safe, kiddo. It was just a nightmare. You're okay," Ron reassured her.

"It wasn't a nightmare." Krista's chin wobbled, and she buried her face in her lap. "It was real." Ever since the day Mr. and Mrs. Moore had gotten arrested, her past haunted her in her sleep. She relived the worst moments of her life, the fear and danger enhanced by her subconscious. The terror of what they would do to her if they found her again plagued her dreams. She had this awful sense of foreboding that kept her from truly allowing herself to get comfortable in her new life, afraid that everything would be ripped away again. She hated this feeling. She wanted to forget, wanted to let herself be happy. Feelings of sorrow and fear overwhelmed her, and she flung herself into her mother's arms, ignoring the swell of anxiety that welled up in her at the contact. At this moment, she just wanted a hug from her mom.

Kim was slightly taken aback. Krista had never initiated an embrace before. She tentatively wrapped her arms around her daughter, wary of sending her into another panic attack.

"I just want this to stop," Krista mumbled through her tears. Kim and Ron shared a concerned glance. Ron rubbed his daughter's back as Kim smoothed her hair back.

"We know, sweetie. We know," Kim said softly. The family stayed like this for a long time, Kim and Ron not leaving their daughter's side until she was soundly back asleep. They turned the light back off and stood in the doorway, watching Krista sleep.

"I don't know how to help her," Kim whispered, pain seeping into her voice.

Ron wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders. "I know. I hate seeing her like this."

After a few moments of silence, Kim turned to her husband, searching his brown eyes for answers. "What are we going to do?"

Ron sighed, running a hand through his unkempt blonde hair. "We take it one day at a time." It wasn't the best answer, but it was all he had right now. So that's what they would do. They would tackle each day, each problem, each new fear and threat, one day at a time. It didn't matter how long it took. For Krista, for the daughter they had yearned for for so long, they would take all the time in the world.

**A/N: Co-writing credit goes to StormChaser90 for writing the scene with Krysta-L and Dr. Lee and for adding some details to the scene between Adrena and Andrea. Thanks for reading, and look for a reboot of After All This Time: Revenge, coming soon.**


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